CHANGES IN COMPOSITION OF CALIFORNIA AVOCADOS. 17 



days. The rapid increase in fat content of this variety, however, 

 ceased in December, and it seems evident that the fruits were in as 

 good condition for eating at that time as in February. On the 

 other hand, the Taft required only 6 days for softening in March, 

 compared with 12 to 19 days in the previous months. The maximum 

 fat content here was not reached until May, however, and the fruit 

 was perhaps ready to eat in April. The Lyon sample for March 

 required 8 days to soften, whereas previously from 12 to 19 days 

 had been required. The maximum fat content was not reached 

 until May, and the fruit was not in satisfactory eating condition 

 until April. It would thus appear that the period required for 

 softening is only an approximate indication of a satisfactory con- 

 dition for harvesting. 



While the fruit of several of the standard varieties was not avail- 

 able in sufficient quantities for satisfactory completion of the tests, 

 enough data were secured from the analyses of Fuerte, Lyon, and 

 Taft to throw some light on the changes which took place as the 

 fruit matured. 



Specific gravity of the fruit does not vary with maturity. With 

 one of the varieties there is a possible tendency toward a lower 

 specific gravity in the samples as the fruit becomes thoroughly 

 mature, but this is not the general rule. For instance, with the 

 Fuerte, both the fresh and storage samples tend to decrease in den- 

 sity as the season advances. Starting with a specific gravity of 

 0.99 or 1, they decrease in a more or less irregular way until the 

 final samples show a density of about 0.96. Most of the other 

 varieties, however, show no such tendency, and it may even be said 

 that the tendency is toward an increase in density as the season 

 advances. 



The edible matter increases in all varieties as the fruits mature, 

 but there seems to be no satisfactory line of demarcation which 

 indicates maturity. 



The amount of moisture, of course, varies inversely with the 

 amount of fat and therefore decreases with maturity. 



The percentage of ash in avocados is relatively small. While it 

 incrcii^ch with maturity, it is hardly possible to formulate a test 

 with this figure as a basis. 



Protein is also higher later in the season than when the fruit is 

 immature. This constituent seems variable, however, and there- 

 fore Less available lor standardizing purposes. 



The fill or oil of the avocado, of course, is i(s chief constituent, 

 arid when it has reached it-, maximum then' is no doubt that the 

 fruit i.-> mature. The question arises, however, as to how long 

 before tin-, [joint i- reached the fruit can be harvested with satis- 

 factory results a- far a- citing and storage qualities are concerned. 



