Dr. W. E. Stone reports in this bulletin a useful and thorough chemical examination of the strawberry. Twenty varieties were examined, but the differences in composition between varieties are probably variable, being greatly influenced by soils, seasons and treatment. The amount of dry matter in the strawberry is very small, as the following remarks and figures show: "The averages may be assumed to fairly represent the normal composition of the strawberry, viz., 9½ per cent. of dry matter and 90½ per cent. of water. The strawberry is therefore essentially a watery fruit, less than one-tenth of its weight being solid matter. In this connection it will be of interest to quote the few available data with regard to other fruits:

Apples contain 16 to 20 per cent. of dry matter. Pears contain 15 to 20 per cent. of dry matter. Peaches (flesh) contain 11 to 14 per cent. of dry matter. Plums (flesh) contain 18 to 20 per cent. of dry matter. Currants contain 11 to 14 per cent. of dry matter. Blueberries contain 18 per cent. of dry matter. Grapes contain 15 to 25 per cent. of dry matter.

"From which it appears that the strawberry occupies the lowest place in the scale of comparisons." About one-half of the dry matter is glucose. "The amount of apparent cane sugar is, with three exceptions, less than 1 per cent. - on the average, only about ½ per cent." The free acid of the strawberry is largely malic, and exists to the average amount of 1.37 per cent. of the dry matter. Apples contain 0. 8 per cent. of free acid ; pears contain 0.2 per cent. of free acid ; plums contain 0.9 per cent. of free acid; currants contain 4 to 7 per cent. of free acid.

Strawberry Analyses

The general composition of the strawberry is tabulated as follows:

"Considered as food, therefore, the strawberry would hardly be rated as very nutritious. The small amounts of food constituents present are so diluted by the ninety per cent. of water, that to sustain life a very large quantity would have to be consumed. The office of this, as well as other fruits, is not, however, so much one of nutrition as that of supplying the beneficial vegetable acids to the system, diluted and flavored by the water and sugar and delicate fruit aroma, the combination of which, in the case of the strawberry, has attained so delightful a degree of perfection".

Comparison with analyses of European berries show "that the European berry is sweeter than the American, but contains less protein and more fiber." This fact seems to indicate that we have not yet reached the limit of quality in our strawberry, for the wild plant from which it comes undoubtedly possesses as great possibilities as the parent of the European sorts.

As compared with native wild berries, the cultivated sorts show considerable gain in sweetness. " In the varieties examined, the average proportion of acid to sugar was 1 to 3.5. For the wild strawberry, the only references available, and these very meager, show a corresponding proportion of 1 to 2. This indicates that a change for the better has been made, but it is far from probable that the limit has been reached. Size and firmness of fruit have been successfully sought for. A similar increase of sweetness and concentration of flavor would wonderfully advance the desirability of some of the choicest varieties, and it would seem as if this were to a certain degree possible".

Professor C. S. Plumb gives some good field notes on strawberries for Eastern Tennessee. "We would recommend, in the order given, the following five varieties, on the basis of quality alone : Prince of Berries, Sharpless, May King, Bidwell, Barry. Where combining quality with productiveness and salability in the market, we recommend the following, in the order given: Sharpless, Jumbo, May King, Indiana, Jersey Queen".