278 



* Calculated on same content of total solids as uncook d, 



This result is very striking. The process of cooking the sweet 

 potato has increased the glucose from 0' 1 per cent, to 4 3 and the total 

 sugars from I' 6 to 7 .69 per cent. 



Experiments are now being undertaken to ascertain the exact 

 chemical nature of this change. I believe that this fact has not 

 hitherto been recorded and that it explains why a sweet potato 

 should taste so sweet when eaten despite the moderate amount of 

 actual sugars in the raw tuber. 



Experiments were also undertaken to indicate the change in the 

 tubers on keeping. Tubers of the variety ' White Sealy' were 

 analysed when freshly dug and after keeping for 5 weeks in the 

 open air. 



The results were as follows : — 



This indicates that the tubers tend to a development of sugars at 

 the expense of other constituents on keeping. 



These preliminary results suggest various lines of enquiry which 

 we hope to follow up as opportunities occur. 



