CHANGES IX COMPOSITION OF CALIFORNIA AVOCADOS. 21 
clear whether this is the result of chemical changes occurring during 
storage or merely of the loss of some other constituent in the fruit. 
In this connection it is to be noted that the loss of sugar accompanies 
the increase in fat content and that there is also a decrease in unde- 
termined matter in the storage samples. These losses are not always 
uniform, however, or in proportion to the increase in fat. When it 
is recalled that the analyses were necessarily made on different fruits, 
small inconsistencies can be explained b}' individual variations in 
the fruits. The loss is not due wholly to evaporation of water, for 
the differences are maintained when the data are stated on the water- 
free basis. 
There is some loss in weight in avocados on storage, but the loss of 
water by evaporation from the pulp is offset by the decomposition 
of other material. Undoubtedly sugar or at least substances of 
similar nature are transformed rapidly and are no longer calculated 
as sugar when the immature fruit is allowed to soften. Such changes 
often amount to well over 50 per cent of the sugar found. This sub- 
ject will need further careful study before many questions can be 
answered. As far as the present investigation goes, it is sufficient 
to conclude that there appears to be a decided increase in fat content 
and decrease in sugar content and undetermined matter during the 
storage of immature avocados. These changes are less marked in 
the case of the storage of mature fruits, which sometimes show a 
reversal in the order of the change. 
With the amount of work so far accomplished, it is impossible to 
attempt to recommend a maturity standard on any of the varieties 
of the avocado. The work here reported covers but one season and 
one locality for each variety. The data on several of the varieties 
are decidedly meager. 
In the search for promising seedlings and varieties, many miscel- 
laneous samples have been examined in the Laboratory of Fruit and 
Vegetable Chemistry. Samples of special interest are those of the 
Guatemalan varieties introduced by the Office of Seed and Plant 
Introduction of the Bureau of Plant Industry, not a few of which 
are now in bearing in California. 
These samples, the results of the analysis of which are given in 
Table 6, include the following varieties: Pankay S. P. I. 44785, Benik 
S. P. I. 44626, Mayapan S. P. I. 44680, Cantel S. P. I. 44783, Nimlioh 
S. P. I. 44440, Lamat S. P. I 43476, Cabnal S. P. I. 44782, Tertoh 
S. P. I. 44856, Kanola S. P. I. 43560, and a Chilean seedling S. P. I. 
43475. Of these Pankay, Benik, Mayapan, Lamat, and Cabnal were 
mature in May, when the first samples were obtained. Cantel and 
Tertoh were not mature at that time, and there is some doubt as to 
the maturity of the first samples of Nimlioh. Kanola had every 
appearance of being mature in February. The second sample of 
