Show MINERAL CONTENT OF APPLES department of agricultural Chernit of the idaho staton station gives re suits of experiments fruit of nil all kinds that grow on plants which receive the largest portion of their food supply through the soil always contain a rather largo amount of mineral substances in the apple for example it has been found by work dvork carried on in the department of agricultural chemistry of tho the idaho station th that at the ash amounts from 2 to 35 per cent of the fresh mature fruit this total ash la Is obtained by drying a suitable quantity 3 31 13 3 pounds of the quartered apples at a degree of about 40 degrees C for several days daye and then burning it in an electrical furnace at a dull red heat until practically all the carbon Is consumed tho the total amount apparently does not vary to any great extent with varieties or with irrigation or non irrigation when this ash which from the majority of varieties Is perfectly white is 18 further subjected to abaly ses S the following are the most important elements found Sll con iron j aluminum auml num phosphorus manganese calcium magnesium potassium chlorine and sulphur although no one has been able to determine the exact function of these various elements in plants and ana aults it Is generally believed that sulphur arid and phosphorus enter into the living substance that potassium magnesium calcium and iron although not entering into the living substance 1 are essential but owing to the fact that they are so widely distributed in the soil are absorbed by the root hairs of the tree and find their way to the fruit through be treo tree sap |