STARCH. 441 



goes into the acetous fermentation. This causes the 

 starch to become purer and whiter. If this fermen- 

 tation does not take place, the starch is of a grey 

 colour, but it is rendered white by steeping it in water, 

 slightly acidulated, as the acid dissolves and carries 

 off its impurities. 



After the subsidence of the starch, some of the 

 water is drained off by inclining the vessel ; the re- 

 maining part is suffered to drip through linen cloths 

 supported by hurdles, and upon which the wet starch 

 is placed. When great part of the moisture has 

 drained through, the starch is wrapped up and wrung 

 or pressed between the cloths, that the whole of the 

 fluid may be separated. It is afterwards cut into pieces, 

 which are placed in an airy situation, on slightly 

 burnt bricks, to promote the complete desiccation, 

 partly by the free current of air, and partly by the 

 absorbent quality of the bricks. Lastly, the outer crust 

 is scraped off, and the whole is broken up into smaller 

 pieces : it fractures into oblong irregular masses. 

 Starch has scarcely any smell, and very little taste ; 

 when kept dry it continues for a long time uninjured 

 though exposed to the air. It does not dissolve in 

 cold water, but soon falls into a powder ; with boiling 

 water it forms a thick paste. One hundred pounds 

 of wheat produce thirty-three pounds of starch and 

 twenty pounds of bran, the remaining part being 

 considered as refuse. The starch-makers are not 

 allowed to sell this refuse, because it still contains 

 some portion of starch, on which article there is an 

 excise duty levied ; and it is supposed, with how much 

 reason it were vain to inquire, that the revenue might 

 possibly be defrauded, if this strange prohibition were 

 not enforced. The refuse matter is found to afford 

 excellent nourishment for pigs ; and therefore, that 

 it may be profitably consumed on his own premises, 

 every starch-manufacturer is in a manner compelled 



