OF THE POTATOE. 431 
The mean of these will afford the probable 
average of starch, and of gluten, allowing 5.0 
per cent. for fibrous matter. Starch 16.9, Gluten 
2.5, Fibre, &c. 5.0, Water 75.6. 
Mr. Knight states that the quantity of starch 
varied from 81 to 20 per cent., but from the 
names of those potatoes which produced the small- 
est proportion, it is likely they had degenerated 
from long cultivation, and they are not taken into 
consideration. 
The starch and the gluten of the potatoe there- 
fore vary considerably. The lowest proportion 
of starch being 12.0, and the highest 23.0 per 
cent., while in the gluten it is from 2.0 to 3.0 per 
cent. Itis probable that the fibrous part contains 
a considerable portion of nutritious aliment, as 
“From 2.0 to 3.0 per cent. of fecula always 
remains with the residual pulp, which it is impos- 
sible to obtain.” 
The tabular view inserted below, exhibits the 
difference of nutriment in some of the most import- 
ant articles of food. 
