326 KiRKWOOD AND GiES : Chemical Studies 



samples. We record the more important of these results," with 

 comparative data from the work of others, on the following pages. 



Most of the nuts subjected to the analyses referred to farther 

 on were furnished to us for this work by Hon. Wm. Fawcett and 

 the United Fruit Co., who sent them in their husks from Jamaica. 

 They were ripe, fresh and of about the average size. A few de- 

 terminations were made with material from nuts bought in the 

 markets in this city — source unknown, though doubtless-of West 

 Indian origin. These were of ordinary size, appeared to be ripe 

 and fresh, and gave essentially the same analytic results as those 

 obtained directly from Jamaica.* 



We wish at the outset of this paper to thank Dr. MacDougal 

 not only for the supply of material with which he favored us, but 

 also for the suggestions which led us to undertake this work and 

 for the kind encouragement he has given us from the beginning. 



Proportions of Milk, Endosperm and Shell in the husked 

 Nut. — The weights and proportions of the main parts of the nut 

 without its husk were carefully ascertained in special observations, 

 as well as incidentally in other experiments. f The milk was 

 removed as indicated on page 328. The empty nut was quickly 

 broken with a hammer, the endosperm and germ, with the thin 

 seed coat, carefully and promptly removed with a knife, and the 

 fresh moist parts weighed at once. The results given on the 

 opposite page were obtained in this connection. J 



The only results recorded on these gross relationships that we 

 have been able to find were those obtained in a single experiment 

 by V. Ollech, and those by Bachofeu.§ The parts of a single 

 cocoanut, except the milk, were dried in the air by v. Ollech. || 



*A few showed signs of deterioration, such as "popping" on opening, free acid 

 in the milk, etc. These were, of course, discarded. 



•f- The weight of the fibrous husk varies considerably, as the amount of moisture in- 

 creases by absorption or decreases by evaporation. The weights of the other parts are 

 ordinarily not subject to such fluctuations. 



J The weights of the germ and the thin seed coat enveloping the endosperm were 

 included with the latter. 



gSee also Berzelius : Lehrbuch der Chemie. Translated by Wohler, 7: 533. 



1838. 



II v. Ollech : Quoted by Konig, Die menschlichen Nahrungs- und Genussmittel, 

 etc., 2: 495. 1893. 



