THE CULTIVATOR. Sept. 
290 
the apple, according to the analyses, do not essen¬ 
tially differ from those of the potato, though the ap¬ 
ple has the advantage of containing a greater pro¬ 
portion of nitrogenous matter. 
Dr. S. gives the inorganic and organic analyses of 
six different kinds of apples, viz : Tolman Sweet¬ 
ing, Swaar, Roxbury Russet, R. I. Greening, Kil- 
ham Hill. We extract the table showing the 
■mean of those analyses, as follows : 
Inorganic or ash analysis. 
With carbonic Without carbonic 
acid. 
acid. 
15.210 
Silica. 
1.362 
1.637 
Phosphate of Iron. 
1.336 
1 593 
Phosphoric acid. 
11.252 
13.267 
Lime. 
3.442 
4.199 
Magnesia. 
1.400 
1.669 
Potash. 
31.810 
37.610 
Soda. 
20.810 
24.799 
Chlorine. 
1.822 
2.169 
Sulphuric acid. 
6 062 
7.229 
Organic matter thrown down by ni¬ 
trate of silver. 
4.890 
5.828 
99.390 
100.000 
Proximate , or organic analysis of the same varie- 
ties. 
1000 parts of 
1000 parts of 
fresh apple. 
dry apple. 
Cellular fibre. 
190.879 
Glutinous matter with a little fat and wax. 1.94 
11.463 
Dextrine. 
.. 31.44 
186.805 
Sugar and extract. 
.. 83.25 
497.627 
Malic acid. 
19.585 
Albumen. 
.. 13.79 
83.720 
Casein. 
9.921 
Dry matter. 
1000.000 
Water. 
.. 826.64 
Loss. 
.. 6.10 
1000.000 
Dr. S. observes, that the analyses were calcula¬ 
ted both with and without the carbonic acid. It 
was necessary that they should be calculated with¬ 
out it, in order to show the real composition of the 
organic matter of the fruit. ‘‘The carbonic acid is 
formed during the combustion of the organic mat¬ 
ter, and hence cannot be regarded as a constituent 
part of the apple, except in very minute quantity.” 
An interesting comparison of the properties of a 
sweet and sour apple, is given in the following 
table, showing the results of the organic analyses of 
the Tolman Sweeting and Roxbury Russet : 
TOLMAN SWEET¬ 
ING. 
ROXBURY RUS¬ 
SET. 
1000 parts 
of freshi 
| apples. ! 
1000 parts! 
| of dry up- 
ples. 
1000 parts 
1 of fresh 
apples. 
1000 parts 
of dry ap¬ 
ples. 
Cellular fibre,. 
33.90 
190.620 
31.20 
173.623 
Glutinous matter with a little fat 
and wax,. 
3.52 
19.793 
1.70 
9.460 
Dextrine,... 
28.96 
162.890 
36.22 
20L.55S 
Sugar and Extract,. 
99.05 
557.178 
90.27 
502.337 
Malic Acid,.. 
2.50 
14.061 
3.23 
17.975 
Albumen,. 
8.97 
50.452 
15.03 
83.639 
Casein,. 
0.89 
5.006 
2.05 
11.408 
Dry Matter,. 
177.791000.000 
179.70 
1000 000 
Water,. 
81.5 9.0 
813.45 
Loss,. 
7 (11 . 
6.85 
looo.oo. ! 
1000 00 
These analyses were made in the months of March 
and April, and excepting the Tolman Sweeting, 
which was rather shriveled, the varieties were in 
good eating condition. Dr. S. observes that besides 
the substances above mentioned, the apple contains 
a small quantity of tannic and gallic acids; the pro¬ 
portion being greater in the russets than in any 
other varieties examined, and that to those acids is 
owing the astringency so striking in some kinds, 
and which is easily detected by the black color given 
to a knife or any iron substance when thrust into 
them. In conclusion he offers the following useful 
observations : 
The ripe apple is rich in sugar and a body analo¬ 
gous to gum, called dextrine , which has the same 
composition as starch ; but differs from it in being 
soluble in cold water, and not colored blue with 
iodine. It derives its name from the action of its 
solution on polarized light, it causing the plane of 
polarization to deviate to the right; hence its name 
— dextrine. 
Dextrine and gum should not be confounded with 
each other. They differ very materially in many 
respects. The former possesses the property of 
being converted into grape sugar by sulphuric acid 
and by diastaste, while the latter does not. Dex¬ 
trine belongs to the class of bodies which are sus¬ 
ceptible of nourishing the animal body. All the 
starch taken as food is converted into dextrine be¬ 
fore it is assimilated by the system. The acids of 
the stomach possess the property of converting starch 
into this body. 
In the fresh apple, 100 lbs. contain about 3.2 
lbs. of fibre; 0.2 of a lb. of gluten, fat and wax; 
3.1 lbs. of dextrine; 8.3 lbs of sugar and extract; 
0.3 of alb. of malic acid ; 1.4 lbs. of albumen; 0.16 
of a lb. of casein and 82.66 lbs. of water. 
In the dry apple, 100 lbs. contain about 19 lbs. 
of fibre; 1.1 lbs. of gluten, fat and wax; 18.7 lbs. 
of dextrine; 49.8 lbs. of sugar and extract; 2 lbs. 
of malic acid; 8.4 lbs. of albumen, and 1 lb. of 
casein. 
In the fresh potato, 100 lbs. contain about 9.7 
lbs. of starch; 5.8 lbs. of fibre; 0.2 of a lb. of 
gluten; 0.08 of a lb. of fatty matter; £ of a lb. of 
albumen; 0.45 of alb. of casein; 1.27 lbs. of dex¬ 
trine; 2.64 lbs. of sugar and extract, and 79.7 lbs. 
of water. In the dry potato, 100 lbs. contain 
about 48.5 lbs. of starch; 29 lbs. of fibre; 1 lb. of 
gluten; 0.4 of a pound of fatty matter; 1.25 lbs. 
of albumen; 2.25 lbs. of casein; 6.32 lbs. of dex¬ 
trine; and 13.2 lbs. ; of sugar and extract. 
By comparing the composition of the apple with 
that of the potato, it will be noticed : First, That 
the former contains, according to the above analy¬ 
ses, about three per cent more of water than the lat¬ 
ter. Second, That dextrine and sugar in the apple 
take the place of starch, dextrine and sugar in the 
potato. Of the former, 100 lbs. of good fruit con¬ 
tain of dextrine, sugar and extract 11.4 lbs; the 
latter has, in the same amount of fresh tubers, 13.61 
lbs. starch; dextrine, sugar and extract, 68.5 lbs; 
in the same quantity of dry potato, there is of starch, 
dextrine, sugar and extract, 68.02 lbs. The above 
proximate principles are the main bodies in the ap¬ 
ple and potato which goto form fat. In the aggre¬ 
gate amount then of fat producing products, it will 
be seen that the apple and potato do not material¬ 
ly differ. It would be natural, however, to infer 
that 50 lbs. of dextrine and sugar would, if taken 
into the system, be more likely to make a greater 
quantity of fat in a given time, or at least to make 
the same amount in a shorter period, than an equal 
weight of starch, for this reason, that the two form¬ 
er bodies, although nearly the same in composition 
with the latter, yet are physically farther advanced 
in organization, and hence probably approximate 
nearer the constitution of fat. If this view be taken, 
then the apple, if of good quality, may be regarded 
equally if not more rich in fat producing products 
than the potato. Thirdly, that the apple is richer 
in nitrogen compounds than the potato; 100 lbs. of 
fresh apple contain of albumen 1.38 lbs.; the same 
