332 PHYSIOLOGY AT THE FARM. 



The following table exhibits the proportion of gummy sub- 

 stance contained in one hundred parts of several important 

 articles of food : 



Barley-meal, . 4.62 



Oatmeal, . 2.5 



Wheat-flour, . . 2.8 to 5.8 



Wheat-bread, . . 18.0 



Kyemeal, .... 11.09 



Maize,. 2.283 



Rice, ... . -0.1 to 0.071 



Pease, . . . 6.37 



Garden-bean (Vidafabct), . 4.61 



Kidney-bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), . 19.37 



Potatoes, . . . 3.3 to 4.1 



Cabbage, . . 2.89 



Sweet almonds, . . 3.0 



Greengage plum (ripe), . 4.85 



Pears (ripe and fresh), . 3.17 



Gooseberries (ripe), ... 0.78 



Cherries (ripe), .... 3.23 



Apricot (ripe,) . . . . 4.85 



Peach (ripe), . . . . . 5.12 



Linseed, . . . . . 5.2 



Marshmallow root, .... 35.64* 



Vegetable Jelly. The principle obtained from many vege- 

 tables which gelatinises spontaneously is essentially an acid ; 

 namely, the pectic acid. Pectic acid owes its name to its gela- 

 tinous nature, being derived from irrjicris, a jelly. All the 

 modifications of what was formerly termed pectine are quickly 

 converted by a caustic alkali or alkaline carbonate into pectic 

 acid. Vegetable jelly is contained in most pulpy fruits, as in 

 currants, red, white, and black ; apples, both sweet and sour ; 

 pears, quinces, plums, apricots ; peaches, the cucurbitaceous fruits, 

 as melon ; also in gooseberries, bramble-berries, raspberries, 

 strawberries, bilberries, mulberries, cherries, love-apples (toma- 

 toes), oranges, lemons, guava, and tamarinds. It is contained 



* Pereira on 'Food and Diet,' p. 108. 



