CHAP. I. CULINARY VEGETABLES. 115 



again into the water, lifted up a second time, rinsed, and then 

 thrown away. The milky-looking water should be then strained 

 through a coarse cloth into another vessel, and when the sedi- 

 ment has settled, the water should be poured gently off and 

 clean fresh water poured upon the sediment. This, after having 

 been well stirred up, should be strained through a fine cloth, 

 and on settling the water should again be carefully and gently 

 drained away. The sediment, which is then fine pure Arrow- 

 root, should be dried on sheets of paper by exposure to the 

 sun. 



Canna edulis. ' 



TOUS LES MOIS. 



, An article sold in the shops under the name of Tons les Mois 

 bears a very close resemblance in quality and appearance to 

 manufactured Arrowroot, to which it is considered to be 

 superior as a diet for children, in that it is not of so constipative 

 a tendency. Dr. Lindley conjectures it to be the produce of 

 Canna edulis. If it be so, as this plant thrives well in India, 

 the manufacture would be exceedingly easy by proceeding in 

 the same way as adopted with Arrowroot. Such would be the 

 case likewise if, as Mr. I. M. Jones states, " There is also a 

 giant species of Arrowroot (Canna coccinea), the product of 

 which is known by the name of Tous les Mois." * 



OKCHIDACE^E. 

 Vanilla planifolia and V. aromatica. 



VANILLE. 



The Yanille plant thrives well and blossoms and fruits freely 

 in Bengal ; but the pods that have been produced and preserved 

 here can hardly be considered satisfactory for use in confec- 

 tionery. When kept a short time they have somewhat of a 

 sour smell, quite distinct from the fine sweet scent emitted by 

 those imported from the Mauritius, even after having been kept 

 several years. Whether this arises from the climate being un- 

 favourable to the maturation of the pods, or from the want of 



* ' The Naturalist in Bermuda.' 



i 2 



