119 
factory working the same crop.’ A more conservative estimate of 
the yield a roots per acre is 16 tons.” 
Sweet Potato pea Batatas, Linn.). There are upwards of 50 
varieties of this plant. The variety “ White Sealy,” out of 16 varieties 
examined in Jamaica, is the best for starch content, containing 
30°94 per cent., with a yield of about 7 tons of tubers per acre. 
In the same set “ Fire brass” with pale red tubers, contained the 
least amount—23° “4 per cent. of starch, though it ‘yielded 1] tons 
of tubers per acre.’ Experiments in South Carolina go to show that 
two of the best white varieties are “ Southern Queen,” yielding 
416 bushels per acre, containing in all 4443 lbs. of starch, producing 
473°5 gallons of alco sho l, and “ Brazilian,” yielding 450 bushels per 
acre and containing 4848 Ibs. of starch, from which 462-2 gallons 
of alcohol were produced.’ Wiley and Sawyer estimate that sweet 
tatoes containing 25 per cent. of starch will yield approximately 
38 gallons of alcohol per ton.° 
Cassava (Manihot utilissima, Pohl.), the bitter Cassava, and 
(Manihot palmata, var. Aipi, Muell.-Arg.), the sweet Cassava. 
The roots have been found to contain 25 per cent. of starch and a 
ton of roots is suggested as likely to produce about 42 gallons of 
alcohol.’ The yield from dried roots has been found to be 
59°8 litres per cent. on the starch content, which averages 67 per 
cent. This is not an established source of alcohol, but other 
conditions being favourable and remembering that the plant is 
cultivated more or less all over the plead world for food and starch, 
it is not unlikely that the cultivation could be extended in order to 
make it valuable for the purpose under consideration. The plant is 
capable of yielding from 5 tons and upwards of roots per acre. 
Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea, Linn.) The rhizomes or 
root-stocks of this plant have been mentioned as a possible source of 
alcohol. An acre will produce approximately 5—7 tons of rhizomes 
capable of yielding a ton or more of dried starch.? The plant is a 
native of Central America, Brazil, the West Indies, &c., where it is 
cultivated for the starch or Arrowroot. It is easily grown and 
comes to maturity in a few months, 
Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus, Linn.). The fermentable matter 
as laevulose and inulin in the tubers is given as from 16~18 per cent., 
? Voelcker, ‘ Beetroot ete pp. 86, 121. 
* Inte stony aite ourn. xiii. 1911, p. 410. 
: Volek r; Lc. 
? eres Bull. Dept. Agric. Jamaica, ii. Dec. 1904, 
5 U.S. Dept. Agric. Exp. St. Rec. xxi. 1909, p. 432 (from S. Carolina St, Bull. 
No. 146, 6, pp 
s” Bul No. 429, 1911, p. 20. 
: aos 19. 
5 Inter. Su ugar Journ. xi. 1909, p. 612. 
z ea Bull. 1893, p. 196. 
