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| No. of | Total | Ash. | Acidity | Protein | Reducing | Cane | Crude
| Samples. | Solids. | | Expressed | N × 6.25. | Sugar. | Sugar. | Fiber.
| | | | as H_{2}SO_{4}. | | | |
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| | Percent. | Percent. | Percent. | Percent. | Percent. | Percent. | Percent.
Series 1: | | | | | | | |
Average, | | 13.77 | .240 | .376 | .590 | 7.04 | 4.59 |
Maximum, | 13 | 16.47 | .320 | .670 | .806 | | 7.79 |
Minimum, | | 9.37 | .170 | .190 | .356 | | 1.80 |
Series 2: | | | | | | | |
Average, | | 16.43 | .27 | .486 | | 7.92 | 3.99 |
Maximum, | 27 | 23.36 | .34 | .811 | | 11.75 | 6.81 |
Minimum, | | 13.46 | .17 | .073 | | 5.34 | 1.74 |
Series 3: | | | | | | | |
Average, | | 13.65 | .288 | .452 | .694 | 8.73 | 1.53 | 0.96
Maximum, | 23 | 16.55 | .404 | .863 | 1.094 | 10.80 | 2.81 | 1.29
Minimum, | | 10.60 | .228 | .139 | .421 | 6.89 | .15 | .70
| | | | | | | |
Foreign Variety. | | | | | | | |
Series 1: | 17 | 16.42 | .310 | .614 | .39 | 7.73 | | 1.98
Series 2: | | | | | | | |
Average, | | 15.07 | .290 | .234 | | 10.12 | .55 |
Maximum, | 5 | 16.03 | .360 | .329 | | 10.69 | 1.11 |
Minimum, | | 14.04 | .240 | .190 | | 9.77 | None |
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The combination of the average data of the American series shows a mean percentage of reducing or invert sugar of 7.90 and of cane sugar of 3.40. The average American apple therefore contains 11.30 percent sugar.
Dietetic Value.—The wholesomeness of apples is well recognized by all authors on physiology and hygiene, and the necessity of at least a partial fruit diet is acknowledged by all. Inasmuch as the apple is one of the most abundant of fruits, being produced in enormous quantities and sold often at a very low rate, its value as a food product is probably not as fully acknowledged by our own people as it should be. Through a greater part of the year apples can be made a staple article of diet. They are, of course, to be most highly recommended uncooked, and especially those varieties which have high palatable qualities and a suitable softness of texture. Very hard apples, even if palatable, are not recommended for eating raw. In a cooked state the apples are scarcely less wholesome and nutritious than in the raw state. It is true that in pastry their good qualities are often counteracted by the poor quality of the pastry envelop which, by reason of the method of its preparation, usually with an excessive quantity of lard or some other oil or fat, is rendered sometimes not only unpalatable but also difficult of digestion. In a stewed condition or prepared in some other unobjectionable manner no adverse criticism can be made upon the quality of the apple as an edible product. It may also be preserved in cans by sterilization by the process described under canned fruits. In this condition the product is known as
