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CHEMICAL NOTES.— BOTANICAL. 

 By Thos. Steel. 



I. Analyses op some Australian Fruits. 



1. Eupomatia laurina R.Br. 



This is a tall Laurel-like slinib bearing urceolate, succulent, sub-acid fruits. 

 Eipe fruits were selected from a jjlant growing in Sydney Botanic Gardens, 

 June lltb, 1897. 



2. Ficus macrophyUa Desf. Moreton Bay Fig. 



Largely cultivated for shade and ornamental purposes, bears quantities of 

 purple, globular fruits, about 1 inch in diameter. These are much sought after 

 by the Great Fruit Bat or "Flying Fox" which comes into the cities at night to 

 feed on them. From a tree growing at Petersham near Sydney. 



3. The same, from trees in Sydney Domain; in both cases ripe fruit col- 

 lected in May, 1897. 



4 and 5. Ficus CiuiHiiighamii Mii]. Sydney Botanic Gardens. 

 Ripe fruit collected May, 1898. 



6. Ficus rubiginosa Desf. 



Unripe fruit from Sydney Botanic Gardens, May, 1898. 



7. Edible Fig, purchased in Sydney. For comparison. 

 8 and 9. Podocarpus elata R.Br. 



The fleshy fruit-stalks which carry the hard nut-like fruit on top and have 

 given rise to popular statements about Australian cherries with the seed outside. 

 The entire fruit is swallowed by birds, the soft stalks being digested and the 

 hard seed dropped wherever the bird chances to go, thus insuring distribution. 

 The fleshy stalks were separated, pulped and analysed. Of the entire fruit, 

 47.7 per cent, was stalk and 52.3 seed. The average weight of one stalk was 

 1.3 gram. Cane sugar was absent, the sugars present being the usual con- 

 stituents of Fruit sugar, dextrose and levulose. Collected June, 1897, two 

 samples. The pulped fruit-stalks have a fine rich purple colour, soluble in 

 water or spirit, and yielding a brilliant claret-coloured liquid which turns blue 

 with alkalies. 



The method used in analysing these fraits is described under "Fijian Wild 

 Sugar Cane" below. 



1234567 8 9 



Dextrose 2.05 5.75 6.77 4.07 3.30 fno^ 5.65 2.56 2,00 



Levulose 1.70 4.84 5.69 2.97 2.98 1""*" 4.07 2.59 1.94 



Seeds, fibre, pectose, &c. . 17;98 20.24 19.88 8.89 10.50 24.37 3.34 39.20 40.65 



Ash 1.42 1.90 1.64 1.11 0.97 2.30 0.44 0.84 0.41 



Water 76.85 67.27 66.02 82.96 82.25 73.03 86.50 .54.81 55.00 



100.00 lOO.OO 100.00 100.0 lOO.OO 100.00 "lOO.OO lOO.OO 100.0 



Nitrogen 0.16 0.29 0.25 



1. Eupomatia laurina. 6. Ficus rubiginosa (unripe). 



2, 3. Ficus macrophyUa. 7. Edible fig. 



4., 5. F. Cunninghamii. 8, 9. Podocarpus elata (Fruit stalks). 



