THE EDIBLE PASSION FRUIT IN HAWAII 5 
point beyond the fact that an alkaloid had been reported. Merck's 
Index (10, p. 385) states that the dried flowering and fruiting tops 
of P. incarnata contain an alkaloid in small quantities. 
PASSION FRUIT JUICE 
Investigations as to the possibilities of extracting the juice of 
passion fruit and demands for the product on the local market 
have recently been made. 
During the past 5 years, a number of experiments have been 
made in juice extraction by George Mellen of Honolulu, one of the 
station's cooperative growers. Tests with various kinds of extracting 
apparatus were made with both the purple passion fruit (Passiflora 
< dulis) and the yellow passion fruit (P. cdulis flavicarpa). Some 
improved apparatus was made for the purpose. 
In 1933 and 1934, when the experimental passion fruit plantings 
at the Kona substation were beginning to produce fruit, Mr. Mellen's 
cooperation was secured in studies of extraction and marketing of 
juice. In addition to these data, Mr. Mellen also made available to 
the station records of his previous work in processing passion fruit 
from various localities in the Territory. Table 1 was prepared from 
these reports. 
Table 1. — Results of extraction of juice from tiro varieties of Passiflora cdulis 
Variety of passion fruit 
Date juice 
extracted 
Fruits 
Weight of fruit 
Average 
juice per 
fruit 
Total yield 
Total 
Average 
of juice 
Aug. 5, 1933 
Aug. 24,1933 
Number 
lib 
lib 
Ounces 
1, 240. 00 
1,354.25 
Ounces 
1.60 
1.75 
Fluid 
ounces 
0.3716 
.8300 
Fluid 
ounce* 
288.00 
643. 25 
Results of an attempt to market the juice were as follows : 
Six gallons of passion fruit juice, approximately 48 pounds, made 
13.7 gallons of soda-fountain sirup, which sold for $2.40 per 
gallon $32. 8S 
Cost of transportation, processing of fruit, materials, labor, 
etc $15. 50 
Grower's central expense, 30 percent 9.86 25.36 
Return to grower 7. 52 
No doubt a saving could be made if regular factory methods were 
established on a large scale and the grower could cultivate larger 
areas near the factory by improved methods. 
Sales of the juice were rapid and the demand for more has ex- 
ceeded the local supply. 
GENERAL CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS 
Most of the edible passion fruits grown in Hawaii are indigenous 
to tropical countries but some of them are now cultivated in such 
frostless sections of the Temperate Zones as are free of any con- 
siderable variation of daily temperatures. Unusually cool nights 
during the active growing season are very detrimental. In Hawaii, 
