STA 



STE 



STAMENS. The male apparatus 

 of a flower. They are situated im- 

 mediately within the petals, and con- 

 sist each of a filament, tiie anther, 

 and the pollen ; of which the two lat- 

 ter are essential, and the former not. 

 They are a modi tied form of the pe- 

 tal, and are placed next it on the in- 

 side, towards the centre of the flower. 

 Independently of their physiological 

 importance, they are much used as 

 good marks of discrimination in sys- 

 tematical botany. 



STAMINATE. Having stamens 

 only. 



STANDARD TREES. Such trees 

 as are not trained, but grow erect and 

 without support. 



STARCH. Amylaceous matter, 

 fecula, composed of carbon 12 ; hy- 

 drogen 10 ; oxygen 10. " Starch is 

 one of the commonest proximate prin- 

 ciples of vegetables. It is character- 

 ized by its insipidity, and by insolu- 

 bility in cold water, in alcohol, and in 

 ether. It dissolves in, or at least 

 forms a gelatinous compound with 

 water, heated to 175° ; and this solu- 

 tion, even when much diluted, is ren- 

 dered blue by iodine. This admira- 

 ble test of the presence of starch is 

 not effective in hot solutions ; and by 

 boiling, the blue colour disappears, 

 but returns in strong solutions as 

 they cool. The term starch is com- 

 mercially applied to that obtained from 

 wheat, which, for this manufacture, 

 is ground and diffused through vats 

 of water, where it undergoes a slight 

 fermentation, and acquires a peculiar 

 sour smell. A part of the gluten and al- 

 bumen of the grain is thus separated in 

 the form of a viscid scum ; the starch 

 being in the form of a finely-divided 

 white powder, is gradually farther 

 separated by washing in large quan- 

 tities of water, from which it is ulti- 

 mately allowed to settle, and put into 

 boxes lined with linen to drain ; it is 

 then cut into squares, which are dried 

 first in airy chambers upon porous 

 bricks, and afterward rolled up in pa- 

 pers and stove dried ; it is in this lat- 

 ter operation that the starch acquires 

 ihat peculiar columnar texture and 

 fracture which is well exhibited on 

 756 



' opening a paper parcel as it comes 

 from the stove. A little smalt is gen- 

 erally added to the starch, by which 

 it acquires a very pale blue tint, and 

 is better ada[)ted to conceal or cover 

 the yellow tint acquired by worn lin- 



I en. Starch may be obtained from 

 many other grains, and from potatoes 

 and several other esculent vegetables. 



I Arrow-root is the starch of the Maran- 

 ta arundinacea. ; sago, of the Sagiis 

 fannifcra, an East India palm-tree ; 

 and tapioca and cassava of the Jatro- 

 pha marithot. In the process of ger- 

 mination, and by various chemical 

 agents, starch may be converted into 

 a species of gum, dextrin, and su- 

 gar." 



STAR- WORTS. Composite plants 

 of the genus Aster. 



STAVES. Staves for spirit pun- 

 cheons are of white oak, for sugar 

 hogsheads of red oak ; but ash and 

 white oak are also used. They are 

 cut of several lengths to make into 

 hogsheads, puncheons, and tierces. 

 The largest size is 72 inches long, 7 

 wide, and 3 inches thick ; lor punch- 

 eons, tierces, brewer's casks, pipes, 

 &c., staves are 33, 42, 45, 54 inches 

 long, and from ^, l^J, u, 2i, to 3 

 inches thick. The most usual'dimen- 

 sions are 72, 42, and 33 inches, with 

 3, U, and one inch thickness; these 

 measures are exclusive of sapwood. 

 The British duly on staves has been 

 reduced to 2Ss. the 50 cubic feet, and 

 hence they will be largelv exported. 

 STEAMING FOOD. By this means 

 many roots, especially potatoes, are 

 reduced almost to a powder. Corn 



\ and other meal, when boiled, is more 



I perfectly digested, and in this way, by 

 answering for imperfect grinding, the 

 steaming of food, or boiling, serves 

 to assist a more perfect assimilation. 

 There is no increase in nutritiousness, 

 and in many cases the economy is 

 very questionable. See Food 



STEARIN. The solid part of 

 fats. It is a stearate of glycerine. 



STEARIC ACID. The acid ob- 

 tained by saponizing stearin, and de- 

 composing the soap by a dilute acid. 

 It is a brilliant white, soft body, in- 

 soluble in water. 



