26 THE USES OF PLANTS. 



the United States is grown within 450 miles of Spring- 

 field, Illinois. In the Western States it is sometimes 

 grown as the cheapest form of fuel. It was not until 

 1855 that glucose was prepared by treating the starch 

 with dilute sulphuric acid, which has afterwards to be 

 neutralised and removed as sulphate of lime. In 

 1 88 1, 11,000,000 bushels of Maize were converted 

 into glucose in the United States. In 1885 there 

 were in Germany about fifty factories engaged in the 

 manufacture of glucose, mainly from potato-starch, 

 in which 10,000 tons of 'hard' sugar, with little 

 dextrin present ; 20,000 tons of ' syrup,' with much ; 

 and 1,250 tons of 'colour,' or glucose burnt to 

 caramel, were produced. It can be produced at half 

 the price of cane-sugar, and is mainly used in brew- 

 ing and confectionery. In 1886 we imported 502,567 

 cwt., of which 441,374 cwt. came from Germany. 

 Other important changes in the starch and sugar 

 industries will be mentioned in the sequel. 



In attempting a classification of the vegetable 

 foods which we must pass under review, the best 

 method available seems to be that used by Professor 

 Church in arranging the Food Collection at Bethnal 

 Green Museum, first got together in 1857, anci in tne 

 handbook to the collection, published by the Science 

 and Art Department in 1876. 



Taking into account both the chemical composition 

 of the substances and the purposes which they serve 

 in the body, food-materials may be primarily divided 

 into 'Nutrients' and 'Food-adjuncts.' 'It is im- 

 possible,' says Professor Church,* 'to draw a sharp 

 * Op. tit., p. 1 68. 



