VARIOUS FOOD-PLANTS 



101 



Fig. 109. — Date. A, fruit cluster, with large jjract which protected the 

 young flowers, x J. B, staminate flower, slightly enlarged. C, pistil- 

 late flower, side view, twice natural size. D, same, top view. The 

 flowers are yellow; the fruit, orange, brown, or l)lack. (Redrawn from 

 Turpin.) 



often substituted for olive-oil; but although equally whole- 

 some and of practically the same chemical composition, the 

 nut-oils and seed-oils are inferior in flavor. 



The sugar used in this country is obtained very largelj^ 

 from sugar-cane (Fig. 114). When full grown the stalks are 

 crushed between rollers, which press out the sweet sap. This, 

 upon evaporation of a certain amount of the water, yields 

 crystals of cane-sugar which are separated from the thick, 

 sweet liquid known as molasses. The crystals after further 

 removal of impurities form the cane-sugar of commerce. 



Exactly the same kind of sugar as that obtained from the 

 sugar-cane is extracted also from the sugar-beet (a variety 

 of the common garden beet) and from the sap of the sugar- 



