Anona Preserves.
—The anona preserves should be made exclusively with sugar and thus have the character of the fruit modified only by the amount of sugar added. In one sample of preserves analyzed the following data were obtained:
| Total solids, | 54.33 | percent |
| Total sugar, | 49.66 | „ |
| Protein, | .73 | „ |
| Ash, | .43 | „ |
| Acidity, | .19 | „ |
The above data show that the natural constituents of the fruit have been diminished in quantity in proportion to the amount of sugar added.
The Avocado (Persea persea).
—The avocado is a fruit which has only lately been introduced into the United States. Its common name is alligator pear and it is already very highly prized.
The cultivation of the alligator pear was first undertaken as a novelty, and its real value as a dessert fruit is only beginning to be appreciated. It is evident that this fruit will have a great vogue in the near future, and will be in much demand as soon as its production is on a scale which makes it accessible to the people of ordinary means. The edible part of the fruit is a sweet, soft substance with an agreeable taste and of a semi-solid consistence. It has a nutty and peculiar flavor which is highly prized.
In the regions where the alligator pear is grown it is often used in the raw state or after having been treated with a little salt. It is highly prized when served in this manner. It is also often cut into small pieces and put into soup and is said to give a most agreeable odor and flavor thereto. The ripe fruit has different colors; it may be green, yellow, brown or dark purple or a combination of any of these colors. The alligator pear is particularly valued as a salad fruit.
Composition of the Avocado.—
| Water, | 81.10 | percent |
| Protein, | 1.00 | „ |
| Fat, | 10.20 | „ |
| Starch and sugar, | 6.80 | „ |
| Ash, | .90 | „ |