192 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



\ ol. in, No. 3 



pulp, 39.82 per cent of peel, and 4.70 per cent of stem. When ripe, the 

 bunches consisted of 63 per cent of pulp, 32.30 per cent of peel, and 4.70 

 per cent of stem. Based, however, upon the weight of the original 

 bunches of green bananas, the proportion in ripe bananas was 57.72 per 

 cent of pulp, 29.59 per cent of peel, and 4.32 per cent of stem, a total 

 of 91.63 per cent. 



The analytical data are given in Table 11 in terms of percentage of 

 pulp and peel as analyzed (corrected for loss in weight in peeling), in 

 terms of the original whole bananas, and in terms of the entire bunch of 

 bananas — i. e., including the stem. The ripening period was longer than 

 in the first experiment in the calorimeter, more starch disappeared, and 

 more sugars formed, while the gains of water in pulp and losses in peel 

 were greater. The study of the composition of the stem before and 

 after ripening showed that the changes which occur in it during the 

 ripening process are so slight as to be insignificant. The percentage of 

 loss in solids, on the basis of the original bananas, was but 0.04 per cent. 



Table II. — Composition of bananas before and after ripening in respiration caloriineler 



COMPOSITION EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE OF PEEL, PULP, AND STEM OF THE BANAN.\S BEFORE 



AKD AFTER RIPENING 



COMPOSITION EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE OF THE WHOLE GREEN BANANAS & 



Peel: 



Green bananas. 



Ripe bananas. . 

 Pulp; 



Green bananas. 



Ripe bananas. . 



0.36 

 • 30 



COMPOSITION EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE OF THE WHOLE STEM OF GREEN BANANAS & 



Peel: 



Green bananas. 



Ripe bananas. . 

 Pulp: 



Green bananas. 



Ripe bananas. . 

 Stem: 



Green bananas. 



Ripe bananas. . 



o It is here assumed that the same proportion of stem is present in the green as in the ripe bananas. 

 ^ Percentage of loss in weight on ripening, 8.38. 



