ON THE MINERAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE CONCORD AND THE WILD In a previous report (1876) I have already stated the ash-analyses of several parts of the Concord grape; namely, that of the seeds, of the stems, and of the skins of the grapes, of the young and old woods, besides that of the fresh and fermented grapejuice. In the present communication I propose to add the following analytical results: I.—Analysis of the young branches, with their tendrils and blossoms, of the Concord vine. II. —Analyses of the berries, without their stems, of the Concord vine, in different stages of their growth. III.-Analyses of the berries of the Concord grape raised with the assistance of a special fertilizer, and of those raised IV.-Analyses of the berries of the Wild Purple grape, without stems, grown in the woods near Adams's Pond, and of those transplanted from that locality to the College vineyard, and there treated with the same fertilizer as the Concord grape-vine mentioned above in No. 3. considered more As the investigation is still going on, it is thought best to defer a detailed discussion of these quite interesting results to a future occasion, when the work pointed out in the introduction may be satisfactorily accomplished. As the peculiarity of the season must, quite naturally, be considered an important agency in controlling the results of growth, it is most desirable that certain tests should be repeated for several years, to impart more reliability to the conclusion drawn from all facts and circumstances which bear on the question under discussion. Thus far, the results obtained with one fertilizer only have been examined. This fertilizer, which I have called No. 1 in my experiments, contains one pound of nitrogen in the form of nitric acid to three pounds and a half of potassium oxide in the form of potassium nitrate, and two pounds and a quarter of soluble phosphoric acid prepared from bone-black waste. The amount per acre is compounded of one hundred and eighty pounds of potash nitre, and four hundred and fifty pounds of a superphosphate containing twelve per cent of soluble phosphoric acid. In the analysis to obtain a material of exact comparative value, I converted the carefully prepared ash-constituents into sulphates, subsequently determined the sulphuric acid, and calculated in the remaining saline matter the various constituents for one hundred parts. The silicic acid has not yet, in every case, been controlled by a re-solution, and is therefore included with the incidental insoluble matter under that name. I.-Young branches, with tendrils and blossoms, of the Concord grape-vine, collected on the 15th of June, 1876: Moisture lost at 100°-110° Centigrade . 80.80 per cent. . 19.20 II. - Berries of Concord, without stems, and not fertilized: (a) Berries collected on the 17th of July, 1876. III. Berries of the Concord grape, without stems, raised upon the ground, fertilized as stated above, and collected on the 3d of October, 1877: | IV. - Berries, without stems, of the Wild Purple grape : · (a) Berries collected on the 13th of September, 1876, from a wild vine near Adams's Pond. (b) Berries collected on the 20th of September, 1876, transplanted to the College grounds, and fertilized as stated above. EFFECTS OF CULTIVATION AND FERTILIZATION ON THE COMPOSITION OF SOME WILD VARITIEES OF GRAPES. Analyses of Wild White and Purple grapes : (a) Berries of Wild White grape, without stems, from near Adams's Pond, collected on the 20th of September, 1877. (Dead ripe.) Berries of Wild White grape, without stems, from College vineyard, treated with fertilizer No. 1. Collected 20th of September, 1877. (Dead ripe.) (e) Berries, without stems, of Wild Purple grape, from Adams's Pond. Collected 20th of September, 1877. (Dead ripe.) Berries, without stems, of Wild Purple grape, treated with the above stated fertilizer. Collected 20th of September, 1877. (Dead ripe.) |