PEOCEEDINGS, APRIL. ill 



data to go on. The next step was to find out the effect of water on the 

 growth and maturing of the fruit, and after a patient and extensive 

 series of trials, with nearly 100 varieties of apples, on diflferent soils 

 and situations, and varying amounts of water, applied at all stages of 

 growth, as well as the effect of many systems of pruning, manuring and 

 cultivation it was found that the water principally acted as a carrier 

 or medium, by means of which the plant was fed, and the action of 

 growth, consisting as it does of a constant absorptien of water by the 

 roots, carried up to be exposed to the sun and air, and by the action 

 of the chlorophyll cells, the hydrogen of the water combining with the 

 carbon dioxide in the air, forms the series of hydrocarbons, that are the 

 basis of all plant life, and by the addition of the salts and acids held 

 in suspension by the water from the soil, and acted on by heat and 

 light, causing the chemical changes and combinations that build up the 

 different parts of the plant, and mature the seeds and their covering, 

 that is, the fruit. It was found, that given a sufficiency of moisture 

 in the soil to dissolve the chemical matters contained in it either 

 naturally or artificially supplied when wanting, the essential point was 

 to ensure a free circulation of air and access to light, of every part of 

 the tree and fruit, and also to aerate the soil by constant moving, so 

 that the roots could have air as well as water. The amount of water 

 required to do this in the friable loam of most parts of the Derwent 

 Valley, was found to be 30in. for the three summer months, and as the 

 absence of cloud meant more sunshine, the dryness of the air was a 

 positive advantage in maturing and colouring the fruit, as when a 

 free growth was kept up by the constant artificial supply of water, the 

 maturing was hastened, and as the fruit was more fully developed, 

 the flavour and keeping qualities were vastly improved. The accuracy 

 of these observations is confirmed by the researches of Dr. Julius Voa 

 Sachs on the transpiration of plants, which show that when it is increased 

 by light and heat in a dry air, the passage of water from the soil is 

 hastened, and by its evaporation in the stomata of the leaves, more of 

 tne salts in suspension are left in the chlorophyll cells, and consequently 

 there is a rapid increase of the substance of the plant. The effect of this 

 system, varied with the sort of apple and method of pruning, and finally 

 the sturmer pippin, scarlet nonpareils and French crab were selected as 

 the most suitable varieties, as well as being the healthiest trees and 

 heaviest, and most regular croppers, and by their firmness of flesh and 

 toughness of skin, best adapted for the rough usage of travelling. Of 

 these the sturmer pippin is most improved by watering. It is satis- 

 factory to find that these three sorts are pronounced by experts in the 

 London fruit trade to be the best in flavour and appearance to please 

 English customers. The style of preserving known as the inverted 

 pyramid, formed by a number of branches radiating from the stem, 

 a short distance from the ground, was found the best shape to allow 

 free access of light and air to every part, as well as easiest to pick and 

 prune, and least liable to damage from wind. Having selected the 

 apples and learnt the best method of growing, the next difficulty was 

 in transport. A six or seven weeks' journey, part of which was through 

 a climate absolutely destructive to the apple, seemed at first an 

 insuperable obstacle, but by the same method of patient observation 

 and experiment, aided at last by the co-operation of growers, the 

 dangers to avoid were gradually found out, and a knowledge was gained 

 of the conditions necessary for the successful transport of fruit to 

 London. First of all experiments were made ot the amount of heat 

 apples could stand without injury, and it was found that 70deg. was 

 about the limit of safety, but the heat of the tropics, both in water and 

 air, averages about 90deg. for 10 to 14 days of the voyage, so artificial 

 cooling was a necessity. The success of the dry air refrigerating 

 process for carrying meat naturally led to inquiries to see how far ifc 



