The wild chestnut shrub, which springs up in great numbers where the original trees are cut away, is now extensively grafted with cultivated varieties. In Pennsylvania there are large orchards of the Paragon chestnut which have been grown in this manner.
Chinese Nut (Nephelium litchi Cambess.).
—This is not a true nut in the ordinary sense of the word, but is usually classed with nuts. It is a product of China and is imported into the United States for consumption by our Chinese population. In the fresh state in China it has the reputation of being one of the best fruit products of that country, having flesh of a white color and a flavor resembling that of high-grade grapes. 41.6 percent of the fresh nut is refuse matter. The edible portion has the following composition:
| Water, | 17.9 | percent |
| Protein, | 2.9 | „ |
| Fat, | .2 | „ |
| Starch and sugar, | 77.5 | „ |
| Ash, | 1.5 | „ |
| Calories per pound, | 1,453 |
The above data show that in chemical composition the Chinese nut does not belong to the class of nuts at all. It is a fruit, its nutritive material being almost exclusively carbohydrates, while in the true nut the principal nutritive substances are the protein and the oil.
Coconut.
—The coconuts which are consumed in the United States are mostly imported. It is estimated that three hundred thousand coconut trees (Cocos nucifera L.) have been planted in Florida, and from 15 to 20 percent of them are already bearing. The common name of the tree is the coconut palm. The fruit of the coconut palm is used for many purposes. The immature nuts are often used medicinally, forming the base of a valuable ointment for external use. The jelly which lines the shell of the more mature nut furnishes a food product of great delicacy and high nutritive value. The milk of the coconut is itself highly esteemed as a delicious article of food. Grated coconut is one of the basic constituents of that familiar condimental substance, East Indian curry. Coconut oil is a very highly edible fat from which butter is made. The fat itself is valuable for cooking purposes. The composition of the coconut is shown in the following table:
| Refuse. | Water. | Protein. | Fat. | Total Carbo- hydrates. | Ash. | Calories. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent. | Percent. | Percent. | Percent. | Percent. | Percent. | Per pound. | |
| Edible portion, | .... | 14.1 | 5.7 | 50.6 | 27.9 | 1.7 | 2,986 |
| As purchased, | 48.8 | 7.2 | 2.9 | 25.9 | 14.3 | .9 | 1,529 |
The solid edible portion of the nut is highly oleaginous and contains also a considerable quantity of starch and sugar. Coconut milk is much poorer in nutrients than cow’s milk, containing over 92 percent of water, only .4 percent of protein, and only 1.5 percent of fat. The carbohydrates contained therein are chiefly sugars.