202 Journal of Agricultural Research voi. in. No. 3 



By analysis somewhat greater losses appear than indicated from the 

 calorimeter data. It is not improbable that the small dififerences are 

 due to analytical error. 



SUMMARY 



(i) The usual carbohydrate changes — saccharification of starch, with 

 formation of sucrose and invert sugar, and consumption of sugars in 

 respiration — proceeded with uniformity in bananas of different bunches. 



(2) The period of most rapid respiration corresponded closely with that 

 of most rapid starch hydrolysis. 



(3) The quantities of ash, protein, and ether extract underwent but 

 slight changes during the ripening of the bananas. Pentosans decreased 

 markedly in the pulp, but remained little changed in the peel. 



(4) Analyses of the peel and pulp of ripening bananas showed a steady 

 transfer of water from peel to pulp during ripening. 



LITERATURE CITED 



(i) Atwater, W. O., and Bryant, A. P. 



1899. The chemical composition of American food materials. U. S. Dept. 



Agr., Office Exp. Sta. Bui. 28 (rev.), 87 p., 3 fig. 



(2) Bailey, E. M. 



1906. Studies on the banana. In Jour. Biol. Chem., v. i, no. 4/5, p. 355-361. 



(3) 



1912. Biochemical and bacteriological studies on the banana. In Jour. 

 Amer. Chem. See, v. 34, no. 12, p. 1706-1730. 



(4) Balland. 



1900. Composition et valeur alimentaire des principaux fruits. In Rev. 



Intemat. Falsif., ann. 13, livr. 3, p. 92-100. 



(5) BinoNET, H. 



1861. Recherches sur la matiere sucr^e contenue dans les fruits acides; son 

 origine, sa nature et ses transformations. In Ann. Chim. et Phys., 

 s. 3, t. 61, p. 233-308, pi. 3. 



(6) Chace, E. M., Tolman, L. M., and Munson, L. S. 



1904. Chemical composition of some tropical fruits and their products. 

 U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Chem. Bui. 87, 38 p. 



(7) Colby, G. E. 



1894. Analyses of bananas and banana soils from the Sandwich Islands. In 

 Cal. Agr. Exp. Sta. Rpt. 1892/1894, p. 275-279. 



(8) CORENWINDER, B. 



1863. Recherches sur la composition de la banane de Br^sil. In Compt. 

 Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], t. 57, no. 19, p. 781-782. 



(9) 



1876. Recherches chimiques sur les productions des pays tropicaux. In 

 Ann. Agron., t. 2, p. 429-446. 



(10) 



1879. Sur la banane. In Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], t. 88, no. 6, p. 293- 



295- 



(11) DohERTY, W. M. 



1892. The analysis of the Cavendish banana (Musca Cavendishii) in relation 

 to its value as a food. In Chem. News, v. 66, no. 1715, p. 187-188. 



