27 



respectively, are closely representative of the character of all varieties. 

 Plantains are essentially a starchy food, deficient in albuminoids and 

 fats : — 



"Composition of Sample of Common Plantains. 



" Fleshy matter or pulp, 64.5 per cent., skin, 65.5 per cent. 



Fresh Pulp, Flour from 

 Dried Pulp. 



Water 62.86 11.80 



Fats ... .44 1.05 



*Albuminoids ... 1.58 3.75 



Glucose ... 2.25 5.34 



Starch ... 22.16 52.64 



Tannin, gum, etc. ... .50 1.20 



Digestible fibre ... 9.01 21.37 



In digestible^: fibre ... .40 .^5 



Ash (mineral matters) ... .80 1.90 



100.00 100.00 



•Containing nitrogen, fresh pulp .25, flour from dried pulp .60.'^ 



A valuable paper on the chemistry of tbe banana was published by 

 the late M. B. i ;oren winder in Annales Agronomiques, ii. (1876). pp. 

 429-445. His main results were obtained from a bunch of 107 fruits sent 

 to him from Brazil in August 1875. The bunch was a month in transit 

 to Lille. He found 34 per cent, of peel and 66 per cent, of f ulp. His 

 best fruits, while sound, gave 15.9 per cent, of sucrose and 5.9 per cent, 

 of glucose. His worst gave 2.84 per cent, of sucrose and 11.84 per cent, 

 of glucose 



Corenwinder gives the following complete aunalysis of the pulp 

 (p. 436):- 



Com position of fresh Brazilian Banana (pulp only). 



Water ... ... 72.4 



Sugar (sucrose) .. ... 15.90 



Sugar (glucose) ... ... 5.90 



Cellulose ... ... .38 



*Albuminoids ... ... 2.13 



Pectose ... ... 1.25 



Oil, etc. ' ... ... .95 



Ash ... .. 1.03 



100.00 



*('0ntaining nitrogen .34. 



The composition of the ash from the pulp is given by Corenwinder. 

 In the opinion of Professor Church, there is a possible mistake here in 

 regard to the magnesium carbonate present. 



