96 EDITORIAL,. 



cent of starch and it seems reasonable to assume that 25 per cent of air- 

 dry starch (14 to IS per cent water) may be commercially extracted from 

 the plant. 



Samples of arrowroot {Maranta arundinacea Linn.) grown in the 

 Islands contained from 18 to 22 per cent of starch. The plant is raised 

 only as a food for hogs. It seems rather extravagant to feed to hogs one 

 of the highest priced of starches. 



Sincamas {Pachyrhizus hulhosus Britton) \P. angalatus] tubers gave 

 2.5 to 10 per cent of commercially extractable starch, according to the 

 age of the plant, the lovv^est yield being obtained from tubers 2i months 

 old, and the highest from those 12 months old. 



Tacca pinnatifida Forst., yielded 22.3 per cent of starch. This plant is 

 rasped very easil}' and the starch is more easily obtained in a pure state 

 from it than from any plant I have handled. Tacca starch sells for a 

 higher price than the others, being called in the world's market Bermuda 

 arrowroot. 



Bioscorea sp. gave 11 per cent of commercially extractable starch with 

 a total starch content of 14.3 per cent. This starch is remarkable for 

 the small size of its grannies. 



The seeds of Gycas circinalis Linn., which are sometimes used as a 

 source of "sago", yielded 31.2 per cent of starch. 



The tubers of AmorphophaUiis campanulatus Blume are very large, 

 but from them we were only able to obtain as the highest yield 4.5 per 

 cent of starch. The presence of numerous spicules of calcium oxalate 

 renders the preparation of an edible starch from tliis plant very difficult. 



Eatmond F. Bacon. 



