14 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SOME TROPICAL FRUITS. 



as shown b} r the low acid content of the preserve. No samples of lime 

 juices were found. 



The sweet limes and lemons analyzed could not be positively identified. 

 These fruits are little used, being offered for sale chiefly in the larger 

 markets on account of their alleged medicinal qualities. They possess 

 a highty aromatic odor and taste and their composition is not unlike 

 that of the sweet orange, except that they contain a very low percent- 

 age of acid. 



TAMARIND (TAMARINDO). 



( Tamarindus indica. ) 



The tamarind is the fruit of a leguminous tree. The fruit is a dark 

 brown pod, from 1 to 6 inches long and from f to 1 inch in width. 

 Small indentations on the pod roughly mark the location of the seeds 

 within. The exterior skin is thin and very brittle. Within, there is a 

 thick dark-colored pasty material closely surrounding the tough seed 

 sacks and joined to the stem of the pod by several coarse fibers. This 

 paste constitutes the edible portion of the fruit and is so intensely sour 

 in taste that the 30 per cent of sugar which it contains is entirely 

 masked and can only be detected by a slightly sweet aftertaste. 



The tamarind of all the fruits examined is remarkable in that it has 

 the highest content both of acids and of sugars. It contains a higher 

 percentage of acid than the lime and more sugar than any of the sweet 

 fruits. As would be expected, in the presence of so large an amount 

 of acid but little cane sugar is found. 



A study of the process of the ripening of the tamarind would be of 

 great interest on account of this remarkable ratio between the acid and 

 sugar. H. C. P. Geerlings," reporting on the sugar content of the 

 tropical fruits from Java, gives that of the tamarind as only 8.32 per 

 cent, working perhaps on the green fruit. The fruit is used in mak- 

 ing refreshing summer beverages and for flavoring soda-water sirups. 

 It has mild purgative properties, and is used in this country in prepar- 

 ing the confection of senna. 



Chem. Ztg., 1897, 21: 719. 



