PROFIT IN NUTS 13 



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The meat of the ripe nut, as it comes to the 

 northern market, is extremely palatable, and in 

 a dried state, grated, it is widely employed to 

 flavor sundry delicacies. 



The coconut is raised extensively in Cuba, and 

 to a limited extent in Florida and lower Cali- 

 fornia, the total number of these nuts produced 

 in the United States in 1899 being 145,000. 



Most of the other nuts are similarly used as 

 accessories of diet, for variety rather than as 

 substantials. They are capable, however, of 

 playing a more important role, as the chemical 

 analysis of their constituents shows that they are 

 in the main highly concentrated foods, having 

 little waste aside from the shells. They contain 

 all the important constituents of diet — proteins, 

 fats, and carbohydrates — and are thus in them- 

 selves capable of sustaining life. They do not 

 contain the various elements in proper propor- 

 tion, however, to make them suitable for an 

 exclusive diet. Moreover, their highly concen- 

 trated character makes them somewhat difficult 

 of digestion if taken in too large quantities. 



The chestnut diflpers from the other nuts in 

 having a relatively high percentage of starchy 

 matter, 42 per cent of its edible portion being 

 found in the carbohydrate division — a propor- 

 tion which no other nut except the acorn 



