50 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



In the following diagram the composition of the more impdrt- 

 ant of the nuts is shown, compared with the nutrients of a good 

 quality bread flour. 



Average Composition of Nuts as Purchased, Compared 

 With Wheat Flour. 



Protein Fat Carbohydrates Ash Water Refuse 



Per cent. 



Wheat flour 



Almonds 



Brazil nuts 



Filberts 



Hickory nuts 



Pecans 



Walnuts 



Chestnuts — 



Peanuts 



Acorns 



Beechnuts 



Butternuts 



Cocoanuts 



Litchi nuts 



Pinon, P. edulis 



Pinon, P. monophylla 

 Pinon, P. sabiniana.. 

 Roasted peanuts 



The first six nuts of the table and diagram are common dessert 

 nuts and resemble each other in many respects. As these are 

 found in the market, from 50 to 65 per cent of the unshelled nuts 

 is refuse (shell). Only 35 per cent of the common almond, 40 

 per cent of the English walnut and about 50 per cent of the 

 filbert, Brazil nut and pecan is edible. All of these six nuts as 

 purchased contain but little water. The protein in the unshelled 

 nuts runs from 5.2 per cent in the pecan, to 8.6 in the Brazil nut, 

 and in the shelled nuts from 10.3 per cent of protein in the pecan, 

 to 21 per cent in the almond. The fats (oils) form the largest 

 part of the edible portion of these nuts varying from 19.3 per 

 cent in unshelled almonds to 35.6 per cent in pecans. The fat 



