BOOT CROPS. 133 



exported from this country to England, for the use of 

 British farmers, who know its value and are eager to 

 purchase it 



SECTION in. OF THE ROOT CROPS 



In the root crops we find quite different character- 

 istics from any yet mentioned. In some of them 

 starch almost entirely disappears, other bodies of a 

 somewhat similar nature taking its place. The po- 

 tato, and a few other less known crops, are exceptions. 

 Another distinguishing feature is the quantity of water 

 which they all contain. About 16 per cent has been 

 the highest amount hith<*rto i; !, but now we 



shall find ;i very greatly inert. t >rtion. 



The potato, as taken from ih- ■< 

 about 75 per cent of water, or tii s 

 whole weight; of the remainder, from 14 to 20 per 

 cent is starch. There is about 1 per cent of a nitro- 

 genous compound like albumen, and the rest is made 

 up of woody fibre, gum, an<l sugar. The siarch of the 

 potato is contained in littb' rrlls, and is in small roundrtl 

 masses. Grating d« - will 

 separate the starch .< . u the 

 tuber is attacked by putatci i; > lir*t apftear- 

 ance is in the walls otthe coll , irch remaining 

 uninjured for a considerable time; it can even be sepa- 

 rated after the disease has progressed till tht "»•'* is 



worthh-ss for any other purpww. 



nis s 



is the I A 



soft in t 

 ish taste. When ti i 



being in too wann a , 



sues. This is for the rrsison t! e 



gndiu, beiaf^ turned in a - <1 



I? 



