Page:Foods and their adulteration; origin, manufacture, and composition of food products; description of common adulterations, food standards, and national food laws and regulations (IA foodstheiradulte02wile).pdf/320

 and is sent usually in box cars without crating, and, if kept at a low temperature, will remain palatable for many days or even weeks. The fresh ripe melon, however, is far superior in quality to any that are harvested partly green and kept for a long time. About forty or fifty varieties of watermelons grow in the United States.

Composition of Melons.—The following data show the composition of the flesh of the muskmelon and the watermelon:

Muskmelon:

Water,                  89.50 percent Ash,                      .60    " Protein,                   .60    " Fiber,                    .92    " Starch, sugar, etc.,      8.20    " Fat,                      .18    "

Watermelon:

Water,                  91.87 percent Ash,                      .33    " Protein,                   .40    " Fiber,                    .55    " Starch, sugar, etc.,      6.65    " Fat,                      .20    "

The above data show that the edible portion of the muskmelon contains more nutrient matter than that of the watermelon, the difference being chiefly in the content of water and carbohydrates.

Okra.—The French name for okra is gombo; Italian, ibisco; Spanish, gombo.

Okra is a vegetable grown very largely in the United States and especially valued for use in soup making. For this purpose the young seed-vessels are employed. The seed pods of the okra are long, tapering, and rigid by reason of quite sharp angles. The okra is often known as gombo or gumbo.

Composition.—

Water,                  87.41 percent Ash,                      .74    " Protein,                  1.99    " Fiber,                   3.42    " Starch, sugar, etc.,      6.04    " Fat,                      .40    "

Onion.—The botanical name of the onion is Allium cepa L. The French name is ognon; German, Zwiebel; Italian, cipolla; Spanish, cebolla.

The onion is a plant which is valued for edible purposes throughout the whole world. It is supposed to have been indigenous to Asia, but its exact origin is not known with certainty. Both the pulp and the part of the stem immediately attached thereto are edible. In fact in very young plants the whole plant is edible. Its highly aromatic character and flavor rather than its nutritive qualities give it its chief value. The onion is eaten both raw and in