190 GIBBS. 



The interior consists of a soft, pith-like substance with a pink tinge when freshly 

 cut, which soon becomes of a reddish-brown color on exposure to the air. 



The specific gravity of the pith as it came from the tree was 0.97 ; air dried, 

 0.72. Tlie total water obtained by drying my specimen in vacuo was 59 per cent. 

 The tree when cut dmvn weighed 1.69 metric tons and contained 6 per cent of 

 starch, so that about 100 kilos of starch are obtainable from an average sized 

 tree. I was not able to wash the starch to a white color; it alwaj's had a 

 decidedly red hue. In view of this fact and of the diflBculty of separating it, 

 of the cutting of the trees because of the many strong fibers, and because of the 

 swampy ground over which the trunks must be transported, it is very doubtful 

 whether the buri palm can be utilized commercially for starch or for alcohol. 

 The starch is in large grains, which are somewhat similar in appearance to those 

 of potato starch. 



Additional notes hy H. D. Gihts and analysis hy F. Agcaoili. — Since 

 the above was written by Doctor Bacon and since his departure from 

 the Philippine Islands I have been presented by Mr. Hugo H. Miller with 

 a sample of buri starch and one of buri sago which were collected on a 

 recent trip to the Island of Cebu. The starch was purchased in the 

 market at Argao, Cebu, and the sago in the market at the capital of the 

 province. 



The starch is made by the natives in the following manner. The interior 

 pithy portion of the trunk of the palm is cut into strips and dried. It is then 

 pounded to separate the starch from the fiber. The fine dust is washed in cold 

 water and the starch settled out in the usual manner and dried. The sago is 

 made from the starch by dropping wet lumps of starch on a hot iron plate. 



The same confusion of the names sago and tapioca, noted in Food Inspection 

 Decision No. 128 of the United States Department of Agriculture, is found to 

 some extent in the Philippines. 



Analysis of the starch gave, moisture 12.05 per cent and starch 87.19 per 

 cent. When viewed by the microscope, employing polarized light, the samples 

 which I have examined can be distinguished readily from the starch of the sugar 

 palm which is described later. 



SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE CHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE 



BURI PALM. 



It has been shown that this palm stores large quantities of starch in 

 its trunk during the long period of its growth, and it is evident that this 

 starch is the source of the sugar which is found in the tuba. The trees 

 which are tapped at the time of flowering, when the starch stored in the 

 trunk is at a maximum, will therefore give the greatest yield of sugar. 

 In this' connection it is to be remembered that the sjrathesis of starch 

 is at this time ended, for all of the leaves are removed from the tree 

 when it is tapped. 



Since a well-matured tree will produce, during the sap flow, from 800 

 to 300 kilograms of sucrose, it is quite evident that at least this quantity 

 of starch must exist in the trunk: at the time the sap flow is made to 

 start. Doctor Bacon's estimate of 100 kilos of starch I believe to be con- 

 siderably below the average. This is probably due to the fact that he 

 did not investigate an average, mature tree. 



