FOODS — HITMAN NUTFJTION. 461 



The author states that he has found that the roots of another plant are 

 used by farmers as a substitute for yeast in the Eastern Province, under 

 the name of " T'Kirrienioor," and that this will be studied to determine 

 whether or not oxalates are present in sufficient quantity to be injurious. 



A recent analysis of asparagus {Lancet [London], J9t3. I, No. 18, pp. 1257, 

 1258). — Data rejcardins: analytical work carried on under the auspices of the 

 Lancet are summarized. 



Approximately 1/10 of the raw asparagus shoot is solid matter and of this as 

 much as 70 per cent is soluble in cold water and SO per cent in boiling water, 

 the constituents thus removed consisting of sugars, gums, proteids, and practi- 

 cally all the phosphoric acid salts. The sugar in asparagus amounts, on an 

 average, to 3.6 per cent ; the proteids to 3.8 per cent ; the fiber to 1 per cent ; 

 the fat to 0.5 per cent ; and the mineral matter to 0.8 per cent. " The green 

 variety contains much less fiber than the white, and the green also yields more 

 soluble matter to boiling, and still more to cold, water than the fat white stick. 

 An important constituent, again, of the tender shoot of asparagus is the basic 

 body vitamin. This occurs in the growing tips of all vegetables, but particu- 

 larly so in that of asparagus." 



The botanical relation of asparagus to the onion family is pointed out. and 

 it is stated that, " when the tender shoots of asparagus are left in water for a 

 few days we find that the smell of onions quickly develops and after a time 

 becomes very marked. Again, if asparagus is extracted with ether an oil is 

 obtained which has a faint smell of the raw shoot. This oil, on analysis, proves 

 to contain sulphur. It is probably this sulphur constituent which gives the 

 well kno^^^l peculiar odor to the kidney excretion after a diet of asparagus, 

 and not the other principle peculiar to asparagus, asparagin." 



It is pointed out that asparagus, after boiling for 20 minutes, contains too 

 little nutritive material to make it of any special importance as a foodstuff, 

 though it is valuable as a pleasant adjunct to the meal, and so an undoubted 

 aid in the processes of nutrition. The possibility of saving nutritive material 

 extracted in cookery by making asparagus soup is pointed out. 



Tung'us flora of South Africa [edible fungi], I. B. P. Evans {Union So. 

 Africa Dept. Agr. Rpt., 1910-1911, p. 259, pis. 3). — As a part of his report as 

 plant pathologist and mycologist, the author gives data regarding edible fungi 

 found locally. The results of his observations and experiments, so far as they 

 have gone, indicate that the edible species greatly outnumber those of a doubt- 

 ful or harmful nature. 



" In fact they have brought to light the interesting phenomenon that quite a 

 number of the very best of edible fungi such as Gopriniis comatus, Tricholoma 

 personatum, Lepiota procera, Psalliota campestris, and Morchella esculenta 

 occur commonly in South Africa. Up to the present no truffles have been re- 

 corded, although several underground fungi closely resembling them in external 

 appearance, such as Rhizopogon luteoJus, have been submitted for examination." 



[The chayote or vegetable pear (Sechium edule) and the maranko (Lage- 

 naria vulgaris)], J. Burtt-Davy {Union So. Africa Dept. Agr. Rpt., 1910-11, 

 p. 2//2, pis. 2). — Brief notes on the use of the maranko fruit and the chayote 

 fruit and root as a vegetable are presented. 



The chayote seems to produce a fiber of some textile value. 



Constituents of apples, C. Thomae {Jour Prakt. Chcm., n. ser., 87 {1913), 

 No. 3, pp. 142-lU; a&s- in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], lOJ, {1913), No. 605, L 

 pp. 327, 328). — The results of a study of the ether extract of apple skins are 

 reported. 



Popularity of banana food products, O. W. Barkett {Philippine Agr. Rev. 

 [English Ed.], 6 {1913), No. 3, pp. 137-139).— This article discusses briefly the 



