QUANTITY OF FECULA IN THE POTATO." 73 



The meal consists of three substances, "^ 



1. Starch or fecula • 17 to 15 



2. Fibrous matter 9 to 8 



3- Extract or soluble mucilage ••..() to 5 



32 • • 28 



Thus 100 parts of fresh root afford from 15 to 17 of fine 

 dry fecula*. 



The followinir are the results of my experiments made ^^^^'°*' '" 



. , . -I r • ' • wliicli Mr, 



With tive pounds oi each variety of the potato, weighed af- Skrim shire's 

 ter being; washed clean, brushed with a hurd brush, and '^^.'"'''ments 

 1 1 • 1 1 1- 1 1 mi n were made, 



wiped dry with a clean hnen cloth. 1 he root was afterward 



grated in cold water. The whole of the pulp and water 

 was placed in a fine hair sieve to drain, and fresh water 

 poured over it, stirring up and squeezing it with the hand, 

 until t!ie water passed through perfectly clear. 



By this operation almost the whole of the fecula or starch 

 is washed from the fibrous matter, and falls to the bottom 

 of the vessel in the form of a firm white precipitate. This 

 precipitate was again edulcorated with water, atid passed 

 through a fine silk sieve, which separated it still more from 

 the finer particles of the pulp. The fecula was then al-. 

 lowed to settle, and being collected was dried by a free ex- 

 posure to the air, on a clean linen cloth. 



1. Captain Hart. 



This is a roundish white potato, with a thin smooth skin, Potato calleii 

 of a moderate size, and with but few eyes. When boiled 

 and peeled it appears of a yellow colour ; its consistence is 

 rather close and watery, but it is tolerably well flavoured, 



A peck weighs from 14 to 15 lb. 



Five pounds weight afford, 



lb. oz. * 



Fine fecula very white .• 9 



Fecula slightly discoloured 3 



Pulp dried 6 



Water, soluble mucilage, and extractive 



matter 3 14 



5 



• Repert. Arts, &c, vol. Ill, p. 383. 



2. JloU^rk 



