COMPOSITION IRRIGATED AND NON-IRRIGATED FRUITS 
Composition of Irrigated and 
Non-Irrigated Fruits 
J. S, Jones and C. W. Colver in Idaho 
State Bulletin No. 75 report an analytical 
study of orchard and small fruits, with 
special reference to the effect of irri- 
gation on those compounds which ma- 
terially influence quality in fruit. Al- 
though the attempt has been made to com- 
pare similar varieties of fruits growing 
both under irrigation and non-irrigation, 
data were secured with regard to as many 
varieties as possible whether grown under 
both conditions or not. The principal de- 
terminations made include total solids, 
acidity, invert and cane sugar, nitrogen, 
ash and waste. The leading commercial 
districts of Idaho were represented and all 
samples were grown at elevations less 
than 3,000 feet. The analyses are here 
grouped and discussed under the three di- 
visions of drupaceous, pomaceous and 
small fruits. 
Summarizing the results it appears that 
there is a fairly well-defined tendency for 
apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, 
plums and prunes to elaborate greater per- 
centages of solid matter when grown in 
the non-irrigated sections. With the ex- 
ception of Italian and Petite prunes, how- 
ever, such differences in sugar and acid 
are too small to seriously affect taste. 
There was a remarkable uniformity of 
composition within each of the several 
varieties of apples analyzed. The non- 
irrigated varieties contain slightly greater 
percentages of acid and sugar, but the dif- 
ferences practically disappear when these 
constituents are calculated to the dry or 
solid matter. Apples grown with irriga- 
tion contain the smaller percentage of 
solids insoluble in water, and the non- 
irrigated apples containing appreciably 
higher percentages of crude protein, and 
consequently may have a slightly higher 
actual food value. In intensity and uni- 
formity of color, also in percentage of 
waste, irrigated apples are somewhat su- 
perior to the non-irrigated. 
With the exception of strawberries there 
were but slight differences in percentage 
of solid matter and in the total sugar con- 
831 
tent between the irrigated and non-irri- 
gated small fruits. The non-irrigated 
small fruits, however, contain appreciably 
greater percentages of acid and of crude 
protein. 
From a survey of the analytical results 
as a whole the authors are led to conclude 
that fruits in general manifest a well-de- 
fined tendency to elaborate greater per- 
centages of total solids or dry matter, con- 
sequently of sugar, acid and crude protein 
when grown in non-irrigated sections, but 
that with comparatively few exceptions no 
marked difference between irrigated and 
non-irrigated fruits in actual food or mar- 
ket value should be charged to differences 
in composition. 
Cost oF HAULING FRUITS TO 
See under Marketing. 
MARKET. 
Connecticut 
Connecticut has an area of 4,850 square 
miles. It may be divided into coast land, 
central low land, and eastern upland. The 
central lowland is in the valley of the 
Connecticut river and is a sandy loam 
well adapted to diversified agriculture. 
That which is true of the Connecticut 
river is also true of the bottoms along the 
other streams, except that the valley of 
the Connecticut is larger than any of the 
others. The soil in the upland is, for the 
most part, a heavy clay. There is a con- 
siderable difference in the periods of the 
ripening of fruits. In the bottoms the 
climate is warmer on account of the ra- 
diation of the heat and sunshine from 
the hillsides, and the soils are sandy and 
warm, and therefore, produce crops that 
mature and come into the markets before 
the fruits of the same varieties on the 
uplands are ready to pick. 
Apples grow anywhere in the state, but 
the hills and the uplands produce the 
best winter varieties because they have 
the best keeping qualities, and therefore 
bring the highest price in the market. 
The soil of the hills seems well adapted 
to the growing of the best varieties. 
Peach growing in Connecticut is proving 
to be an important industry. The only 
trouble seems to be on account of the 
danger of frosts that kill the buds in the 
