NOTES ON COCONUT, COPRA, AND COCONUT OIL. 121 



DISCUSSION OF THE CHANGES TAKING PLACE. 



Milk. — The total quantity of milk shows a marked diminution from 

 374 grams in an unsprouted nut to nothing when the sprouts have at- 

 tained a height of 93 centimeters. A decided loss in the sugar content 

 of the milk takes place at the same time, as this constituent falls from 

 2 per cent and 3.3 per cent in the milk from the unsprouted nuts to 0.3 

 per cent in the ones whicli have sprouts 38 centimeters in height. 



Meat. — Here also a decided loss in total weight is evident, as it drops 

 from. 45 7 grams in nut nimiber 1 to 148 grams in number 8. The loss 

 seems to be due to a direct absorption by the foot, the process taking 

 place at first only in that portion of the meat located near the latter, 

 but increasing rajDidly as the endosperm grows larger and comes in 

 contact with the entire inner surface of the nut. 



Oil in the meat. — The loss in total weight of oil is fairly projDortional 

 to the loss in total weight of meat, the percentage of oil in the meat 

 remaining constant within the somewhat wide limits of individual varia- 

 tion. However, during the early stages of germination there is apparent 

 a certain concentration of oil near the foot, with a corresponding loss 

 in that portion of the meat farthest away. 



Water in the meat. — As is the case with all the other parts of the nut, 

 the meat gradually loses water by evaporation through the shell and 

 sprout during the j)rocess of germination. 



Sugar in the meat. — The percentage of sugar decreases from 4.1 per 

 cent in the unsprouted nut (number 1) to 1.2 per cent in number 8. 

 The loss is probably due to the absorption of sugar by the foot, as in all 

 cases there is considerably less sugar in that portion of the nut in direct 

 contact with the endosperm than there is in the parts farthest away from 

 it. 



Crude fiber in the meat. — No decided change in the proportion of this 

 constituent can be observed. It is absorbed at practically the same rate 

 as the rest of the meat. 



FOOT. 



Total weight. — The total weight increases from 19 grams in number 1 

 to 228 grams in nmnber 7. 



Sugar in the foot. — There is apparently a loss in the percentage of 

 sugar (although not in its total weight) until the foot comj)letely fills 

 the nut, at which time there is a rapid gain. This phenomenon is 

 probably due to the fact that the foot at first draws its sugar chiefly 

 from the milk by which it is almost entirely surrounded. However, as 

 it continues to grow, it soon exhausts the sugar in tlie milk, and only 

 when it has completely filled the nut and come into intimate contact 

 with the inner surface of the meat has it an opportunity to continue the 

 process of sugar absorption and also one of sugar creation, possibly from 

 the oil, or possibly from oil and crude fiber. 



