UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 AeRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
 
 BULI.ET1N NO. 39. 
 
 Analyses of Oranges and Lemons from 
 the Riverside Citrus Fair, 
 Marcli, 1845. % 
 
 These fruits, with the exception of those 
 marked a and b, were received through the hands 
 of Mr. Chas H. Dwindle, on his return from the 
 fair. All were in excellent condition and were 
 worked during the di.ys following April 3d, 
 the day of receipt. 
 
 The samples marked a and b formed part of a 
 collection received some time afterward, 
 through the courtesy of Mr. J. E. Cutter, W. 
 H. Backus, J. H. North and other exhibitors, 
 of Riverside. They were kept on shelves in a 
 room until May I5th, when the Navel had lost 
 some of its original firmness and the M<iUa Blood 
 was beginning to show shrinkage from drying. 
 These samples had therefore been kept six 
 weeks longer than ihe others, but were in good 
 condition, i^our of the navels still on hand at 
 this date— May 22d— though soft to the touch 
 are perfectly sound. 
 
 The data given in the table below explain 
 themselves. Column No. 1 gives the aver- 
 age weight, in grams, of the frui . examined, 
 usually two in number; a division by 30 
 gives this weight in ounces avoirdupois. Col- 
 umns 2, 3 and 4 give the percentages of rind, 
 pulp and seed respectively. It will be noted 
 that the Navel and Malta Blood oranges and 
 Eureka lemon were found seedless, the largest 
 proportion of seeds being found in the St. Mi- 
 chaels' orange. Column 5 gives the per cent of 
 juice in cubic centimeters, referred to the 
 weight of the fruit in grams; and since the 
 density of the juice ia toniewhat above that of 
 water, this percentage, if taken by weight, 
 would be a little higher than here given; but 
 for the practical comparison the figures hold 
 good. Column 6 gives the actual amount of 
 juice obtained per single fruit, again in cubic 
 centimeters, which, by division by the number 
 30 may be reduced to fluid ounces. Columns 7 
 and 8 give the percentage in the juice of cane 
 sugar (sucrose) and fruit sugar (levulose), the 
 sum of sugars being shown in column 9. Col 
 umn 10, finally, gives the percentage of acid 
 calculated as citric acid. 
 
 2 Acid. Percent. 
 
 Fruit, 
 cent.. 
 
 O «0 X — ira 
 «5 C3 CO X O 
 
 I-H (M* i-H i-I rH i-i 
 
 Cane, 
 cent.. 
 
 ^ (33 CM rH 
 
 o c o o 
 ">* lO CO 
 
 Average amount 
 of Juice, c. 
 
 cm 
 
 Juice. Per cent, 
 c. cm 
 
 lO 
 CO 
 
 CQ I Rind. Per cent, 
 
 Seeds. Percent. 
 
 Pulp. Per cent. 
 
 •CO 00 
 
 •V.' w 
 
 • 11 <N 
 
 Average Weight 
 in Urams 
 
 00 eo 
 
 a X3 • 
 
 -co 
 
 CN IQ 
 
 94 O lO 
 »0 t-' CO 
 
 © © .S o ® 
 
 1 1 1. 1 1 
 
 CO ij; lo «d 
 
 1. — Mediterranean Sweet orange, from W. II. Backus. 
 
 2. — Hiverside Navel orange, from John W. North. 
 Taken from a plate of tine oranges which received the 
 first prize for the best budded orange and best orange on 
 exhibition. 
 
 3. — Klverside (or Australian?) Navel orange, from J. 
 E. Cutter. 
 
 4. — Paper Rind or St. Michael orange, from W. H. 
 Backus. 
 
 5. — Malta Blood orange, grower not mentioned. 
 
 6. — Same, grower not known. 
 
 7. — Lisbon lemorr, from E. W. Holmes. 
 
 8. — Eureka lemon, from same. 
 
 9. — Limes, from W. H. Backus. 
 
 These analyses show some interesting and im- 
 portant points of difiference between the several 
 fruits. The Navel shows the highest total 
 sugar and lowest acid of all; and this is true 
 
equally of the earlier and later samples, a ana 
 b. The Mediterranean Sweet stands next in 
 sugar percentage; its acid is a little higher than 
 that of the St. Michaels in absolute percentage, 
 but the proportion between sugar and acid is 
 practically identical in the two, the juice of the 
 St. Michaels being a little weaker in both sub- ' 
 stances. The Malta Blood is a little lower in 
 sugar than the St. Michaels, but exceeds it in 
 acid by 50 per cent in the earlier sample. 
 
 It thus would seem that, apart from its in- 
 viting outward appearance, the Riverside 
 Navel owes its place in public favor to three 
 chief points: A high degree of sweetness, with a 
 low degree of acid, and the firmness of flesh 
 which invites it to be actually eaten instead of 
 **sucked," as one is tempted to do with the 
 other, softer oranges. 
 
 The Mediterranean Sweet and the St. 
 Michaels dispute precedence, according as in- 
 dividual tastes diflfer in respect to size and 
 flavor; but the St. Michaels seems to have a 
 greater firmness of flesh in its favor. The re- 
 freshing acidity and peculiar flavor of the 
 Blood orange place it in a different category 
 from the other three. 
 
 The first six columns, however, furnish food 
 for additional considerations, especially when 
 oranges are sold by the piece or thousand and 
 not by weight. The Mediterranean sweet 
 shows a slightly heavier weight than the Navel, 
 but the larger proportion of pulp in the latter 
 more than makes up for the difference. Owing 
 to an accident, the proportion of juice to pulp 
 was not determined in the case of the Mediter- 
 ranean Sweet ; in the Navel the figures show it 
 to have been about 59 per cent, whereas in the 
 St. Michaels is goes as high as 65.6, in the 
 Malta to 66 3 per cent. The latter two are, 
 therefore, quite^materially more juicy than the 
 navel, hence more delicate in transportation. 
 The St. Michaels shows the highest percentage 
 of pulp of all, notwithstanding the relative 
 abundance of seeds ; and hence a given weight 
 of this variety would furnish the largest 
 amount of eatable pulp, while if bought per 
 thousand, the light weight of the fruit would 
 leave the consumer materially ** short," as com- 
 pared with the Navel or Mecliterranean Sweet. 
 
 Comparing the earlier fruit with that anal- 
 yzed six weeks later, there is in the case of both 
 the Navel and St. Michaels a decided decrease 
 of both sugar and acid; exactly the reverse of 
 what would have been looked for, as these 
 ingredients might have been supposed to be con- 
 centrated by evaporation. There is therefore a 
 true deterioration in oranges kept beyond the 
 point of proper ripeness, that amply justifies 
 the preference of consumers for the freshest 
 fruit. 
 
 As regards the lemons, the comparison oe- 
 tween the Lisbon and Eureka tells strongly in 
 favor of the latter. It is larger and has a 
 higher percentage of pulp as well as of jnice, 
 while at the same time the latter is consider- 
 ably richer in citric acid. Assuming 7 per cent 
 as the usual average, it will be noted that the 
 Eureka is nearly as much above it lis the Lis- 
 bon is below. The limes stand nearly at the 
 same point as the Lisbon, but show a consider- 
 ably higher proportion of pulp as well as of 
 juice than either of the two lemons, being fully 
 J 3 per cent above the Lisbon in the latt«?r re- 
 spect. 
 
 While these comparisons will probably hold 
 good in general as between these varieties, the 
 absolute figures (percentages) must be taken 
 with allowance for the peculiarity of the season 
 of 1884, with its unusual rains and low temper- 
 ature. A reference to the analysis made in 
 1879 (see the report of the College of Agricult- 
 ure for t hat year, pp. 59 and 60) shows a much 
 higher average of both sugar and acid for the 
 oranges, and of acid for the lemons; the pro- 
 portion of pulp also seems to have been higher 
 throughout. 
 
 Analyses of Waters. 
 Artesian water from a well 43 feet deep, on the 
 land of Mr. P. C. Phelps, of Upper Lake, Lake 
 county. The locality is three and one-half 
 miles north of Clear Lake, in the valley. **In 
 boring this well the first ten feet showed gravel 
 and sediment, the remaining 33 feet blue cUy 
 with tule roots. The flow of water is at the 
 rate of 125 gallons per hour, together with a 
 great deal of gas, which will burn with a blue 
 flame (marsh gas) through a pipe four and one- 
 half inches in diameter. There is a cover on 
 the pipe 20 inches above the spout, and the 
 stream of water takes up one-half of the 
 spout." 
 
 The water proves to be saturated with car- 
 bonic acid gas, which of course also accompa- 
 nies the combustible gas. It is clear and 
 without perceptible taste. On boiling it be* 
 comes turbid ; on evaporation it leaves a white 
 residue amounting to 11.6 grains per gallon, 
 which on heating loses 3.3 grains of water with 
 a little organic matter. Of the remaining 3.8 
 grains only one grain is again soluble in water, 
 while 7.3 remain insoluble. 
 
 The soluble part consists in the main of 
 sodium chloride or common salt, with a little 
 carbonate of soda. 
 
 The insoluble part, constituting the main 
 bulk of the mineral contents, consists essen- 
 tially of the carbonates of lime and magnesia 
 in about equal proportions, with a little iron 
 and silica. 
 
 The mineral contents of this water are quite 
 
within the limits of good potable waters, and' 
 the nature of the ingredients is equally unob- 
 jectionable in the proportions found. It is well 
 adapted to domestic use, and its hardness in the 
 use of soap can easily be remedied by the addi] 
 tien of a little washing ammonia. The carbonic 
 gas imparts a refreshing taste. 
 
 Water from Walter Soda Springs,'* Napa 
 county. Sent by Mr. Gust. Walter, of San 
 Francisco. This water as received was slightly 
 turbid, and showed a sediment of rust-colored 
 floccules, showing its "chalybeate" cliai-acter. 
 Carbonic acid gas escapes abundantly when the 
 bottle is opened. 
 
 On boiling the water becomes quite turbid, 
 and shows by its alkaline reaction the presence 
 of some carbonate of soda. 
 
 On evaporation it leaves a residue of 143.8 
 grains of solid matter, which by heating to red- 
 ness loses 58.0 grains of water and a little or-^ 
 
 ganic matter, leaving 85.8 grains of purely min- 
 eral matter. Of this there is 
 
 Again soluble 32 8 grains 
 
 Insoluble 53.0 ** 
 
 The soluble part consists largely of chloride 
 of sodium or common salt, with smaller amounts 
 of the carbonate and sulphate of soda. 
 
 The Insoluble part consists largely oi carbon- 
 ate of magnesia, with some carbonate of lime 
 and silica. The fresh water contains in addi- 
 tion, as above stated, some iron in the shape of 
 carbonate. All these are kept in solution by 
 the free carbonic acid which renders the water 
 eflfervescent and refreshing to the taste. 
 
 This is,'therefore, a mineral water of moderate 
 strength of tonic and the same time slightly 
 purgative qualities; the drinking of which 
 doubtless be advantageous in many chronic dia- 
 orders. E. W. Hilgard. 
 
 Berkeley, May 22^ 18S5,