On the Making of Starch. 1G7 



a few days more will settle, and all fermentation cense : after 

 this the stuff is fit to be what is called washed out. . 



The common lime allowed to st(!ep is fourteen or twenty 

 days : as much depends on the temperature of the weather, 

 ihe exact time cannot be ascertainexl ; but it is much belter 

 to lie a few days longer than to be washed out one day too 

 soon. This operation is performed by the stuff being taken 

 from the vats and put into a strong round basket, which is 

 *ct across a tub below a pump : cue or two men keep going 

 round the basket stirring up the stuff with strong wooden 

 shovels called stirrers, while another keeps pumping water 

 till all the meal is completely washed from the bran, which 

 is emptied into some convtnient pi ice to ii:Q.(S. hogs : this 

 operatioa is continued till the vats are emptied of the whole 

 stuff, at the same time thai it is strained through the basket 

 into the tub underneath. As fast as the tub fills, it is taken 

 out and strained through hair sieves into what are sometimes 

 called squares, by others frames. It is then suffered to rest 

 twentv-four liours, when the water is drawn otV the frame 

 bv p'ngs fixed at ditlerent depths. A thin stuff is then found 

 to float above the starch, which is taken off by a trav made 

 of a particular form tor that purpose : this is called slimes, 

 and is put into a cistern to feed hogs, by being mixed with 

 the bran or grains : fresh water is then pumped into the 

 squares, and tlic whole is wrought up with the stirrers till 

 it is coijiplctely incorporated wiih the water ; it is then 

 strained through a fine silk sieve, and suflered to rest and 

 settle twenty-four hours, when the water is again drawn off, 

 and some more slimes will be found floating, or at least in 

 a loose and unsettled state, on the top of the starch; which 

 being carefully removed, fresh water is again pumped on the 

 fitarch, and the whole is again wrought up as before; when 

 it is a<rain put through the silk sieve. It is now suffered to 

 rest for some davs, — say four or live,^-ldl the starch is ag.ua 

 settled in a very firm state at the botloin of the square. It 

 is necessary to observe, if the starch is wanted to be what is 

 coinmoi.ly called Poland, th'Jt is, with the blue shade; durnig 

 ihe last lane of pulling through liie silk sieve, acertau) quan- 

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