28 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE 



Cocoa-nut " milk." At the request of the Chief Com- 

 missioner of the Andamans and Nicobar Islands the milk 

 of cocoa-nuts was examined with a view to ascertaining 

 whether it possesses potential commercial possibilities. 

 About twelve lakhs of nuts are utilized annually in the 

 Jail, but for the milk there is no commercial outlet and it 

 is thrown away. It is only a weak solution of sugars and 

 other carbohydrates with small amounts of proteids. The 

 sample sent to Pusa contained 01871b. sucrose, 00561b. 

 glucose and 02581b. of other matters, mostly gums, per 

 gallon of the milk. Boiled down to the dry state it 

 formed a very pleasant tasting *' toffee," but it could not 

 possibly pay to conduct this process on the manufacturing 

 scale. 



IX. Starch. 



During the year my attention has been directed to the 

 possibility of economically manufacturing starch from 

 Indian materials. One of the results of the war has been 

 to cut oft' some of the usual sources of manufactured starch, 

 resulting in enhanced prices. 



The process involved in starch manufacture is extremely 

 simple, but in order to be financially successful the raw 

 material must be cheap and the factory machinery both 

 efficient and well run. This implies expensive manage- 

 ment which can only be economically applied for large 

 quantities of starch. 



Among Indian raw materials which could possibly 

 fulfil the requirements of the industry, is the sweet potato, 

 {Ijjomoea batatas,) which is cultivated widely in Bihar, 

 yields well per acre at small cost, comes into the market 

 at several different seasons and some varieties contain 

 upwards of 20 per cent, starch. Experiments have there- 

 fore been commenced on the subject of starch manufacture 

 generally and primarily from this material in particular. 

 A very good quality of " farina " can be readily prepared 

 from it. 



