Uses of the Potato 269 



In the second settling the pure starch is first to go to 

 the bottom, and when the water is drawn off it is found to 

 be covered with a thin layer of starch mixed with various 

 forms of impurities. This layer is removed separately, 

 and the pure starch underneath is ready for the drying 

 tables. 



The layer of dirty starch removed as above indicated 

 is given a second washing and if necessary a third, until 

 the starch is thoroughly cleaned. 



The most modern way of drying is to have the starch 

 sti;eam out on shelves made up of slats through which 

 the dried starch can fall to the shelf below. The drying 

 kiln is heated by steam pipes running along the bottom 

 underneath the shelves. The entrance for air is so 

 arranged that it will come in over the pipes and thus 

 become dried. 



The starch is first placed upon the upper floors on these 

 wooden slats which have openings of about ^ inch. This 

 is the coolest part of the kiln, so that the starch which is 

 most moist is subjected to the least amount of heat. It 

 is not safe to submit very wet starch to a high tempera- 

 ture, for there would be danger of converting it into a 

 paste and rendering it unfit for market. When the starch 

 is partially dried, it is raked over the grated floor and the 

 particles which are dry enough to be easily detached fall 

 through and strike similar grates below. This raking 

 process continues until the starch in a fine powder form 

 reaches the lower floor in a state of dehydration suitable 

 for barreling. The dried starch is finally raked into a 

 trough running alongside of the lower floor of the kiln, 

 and from there it is placed in the barrels. 



It requires about 12 hours to complete the drying 

 when the most eflScient kilns are used, so that the kilns 



