BY J. H. MAIDEN. 551 



This plant is also termed the " Asparagus of the Cossacks," the 

 Cossacks of the Don being very fond of it. They prepare it like 

 asparagus, and cut it, like the latter, when the young shoots are 

 pushing; the tender blanched part is boiled in water seasoned with 

 salt, and served up in the same way as asparagus. The various 

 culinary preparations to which asparagus is subjected are suitable 

 for Typha lati/oUa. In collecting it they peel off the cuticle, and 

 select the blanched tender part, usually about eighteen inches in 

 length, near the root, and this constitutes a dish cool, agreeable 

 and wholesome (Pharm. Journ., vii., 543). 



For notes on the economic value of this plant, see also Fy'oc. 

 B.S. Tasmania, 1882, p. 163. 



100 parts of the entire plant contain, after drying, 9 "5 8 per 

 cent ash ; and the ash contains, in 100 parts : — 



Potash 14-8 



Lime 219 



Magnesia 1-56 



Ferric Oxide 0-2 



Sulphuric Anhydride 2-5 



Silica 0'6 



Carbonic Acid 21-0 



Phosphoi-ic Pentoxide 3-9 



Potassium Chloride 16*8 



Sodium Chloride 169 



(Schulz-Fleeth, Waits' Diet, v., p. 930), 



The pollen contains : — 



Stearin and Olein 3-6 percent. 



Sugar 18-3 



Starch 2-0 



Pollenin 25-9 



Magnesium and Potassium Phosphates, 

 together with small quantities of 



other potassium salts 2 '5 



Silica 0-4 



