VARIOUS LEGUMINOS^ 



399 



On account of their large proportion of sugar the pods may be 

 used for manufacturing methylated spirit and vinegar. 

 These pods have the following composition : — 



Water 



Ash 



CeHulose 



Fat 



Non-nitrogeiious matter 



Nitrogenous matter ... 



The seeds give : — 



Water 



Ash 



Cellulose 



Fat 



Non-nitrogenous matter 



Nitrogenous matter ... 



15*26 per cent. 

 3-25 



2475 



0-58 

 47-27 



8-89 



lOO'OO 



I4'38 per cent. 



4'44 

 684 



3*94 

 367S „ 

 33 '62 



lOO'OO 



According to analysis by Sievert, these pods contain 25 to 28 per 

 cent, of grape sugar, and 11 to 17 per cent, of starch. 



This fruit is used for manufacturing a kind of frothy beer, called 

 Aloja. 



Other species of Prosopis are also held in some esteem ; these are 

 P. glandnlosa, P. -pubescens, P. Jiorrida_, P. spicigera^ and several 

 other species of the same genus are worth propagating. 



Prosopis spjoigera (Tree). — This is a variety of Prosopis dulcis 

 with sweet farinaceous pods which are used for food in the North of 

 India in times of famine. They are eaten either green or dry, raw or 

 boiled with salt and onions. 



AlbJzzia amara (Tree). — The so-called " Jyree tea " consists of a 

 mixture of ordinary tea with the specially prepared leaves of this 

 plant. 



Mimosa abstergens (Shrub). — Leaves used for seasoning. 



Mimosa pudioa (Shrub). — The leaves occupy different positions day 

 and night and react to the touch. Several other species are equally 

 irritable to Mimosa pudica; they are M . viva, M . casta, M. speciosa, 

 M. asperata. 



The members of the Leguminosse whose irritability approaches that 

 of the sensitive species are Smithia sensitiva , .T^schynnmene sensitiva, 

 JE. iiidica, .F.. ptnnila, Desiiiantluis stolonifer. 



Some very thorny and shrubby mimosas are used to make protective 

 hedges ; such are M . ruhricaulis and M . acanthocarfa. 



Neptunia oleracea (Herb). — This plant is cultivated, but it occurs 

 wild as a floating plant in ponds and sluggish streams. The edible 



