446 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



In the Far East oil is expressed from the seed in primitive 

 factories, and the bean cake is used for food. In the United 

 States, cotton-seed mills are employed in the preparation of 

 soya-bean oil, large quantities of which are produced annually. 

 During the Russo-Japanese War the soya-bean crops in Man- 

 churia were greatly augmented in order to meet the increased 

 demand for food, with the result that after the war it became 

 necessary to find new openings for the soya-bean trade. Beans 

 were therefore sent to Europe ; but the enterprise was not 

 successful, owing to bad shipping, on account of which the 

 beans arrived in an unsatisfactory condition. In 1908 another 

 trial shipment was sent to English oil mills ; the consignment 

 was a success, and larger imports were made. Since that time 

 the soya-bean oil has received attention from many oil-pro- 

 ducing companies in England, and a growing industry has 

 arisen. 



Practical Applications of the Bean 



Modes of Preparing the Bean for Food. — In Japan, China, and 

 some parts of India the soya-bean is second only to rice in the 

 food of the natives. Since the beans contain much protein and 

 oil, they are admirably suited for compensating a rice diet, 

 which is composed almost entirely of carbohydrate. The 

 following preparations are used widely ^ : 



Tofu, or Bean Cheese (Japanese). — Beans are soaked, 

 crushed, and mixed with water, then boiled and filtered. Mother 

 liquor from the preparation of salt from seawater is added to 

 the filtrate, a precipitate occurs and is pressed and served. 



Miso (Japanese), similar to Chiang (Chinese). — ^Beans are 

 steamed, powdered, and mixed with barley, salt and water. 

 The mixture is caused to ferment by the addition of a fermenting 

 agent. 



Shoyu (Japanese) and Chiang-yu (Chinese) .* Soya Sauce. — 

 Beans are steamed and mashed ; an equal quantity of pow- 

 dered wheat is added, also spores of Aspergillus orysce. The 

 whole is left in a cellar at a constant temperature of 10° C. 

 Heat is evolved ; after six days the contents of the trays are 

 dried and ground finely, water and salt being added. The 

 mixture is then allowed to ferment for one to six years. A 

 thick brown liquid resembling meat extract is formed. 



Natto (Japanese). — Soya-beans are boiled ; small portions 

 of the boiled material are wrapped in straw, and placed in a 

 cellar where there is a fire. The beans ferment, a thick sticky 

 mass forms round them and makes them very palatable. 



In Japan beans are germinated until the sprouts are about 

 » Oshima, U.S. Dept. Agr. Off. Exp. Sta. Bull., 159, p. 224, 1905. 



