ON THE FECULA OF POTATOES, &C. J g^ 



of Cassava from that deadly poison the Jatropha Manihot of 

 North America ; I was induced to suspect, that some other 

 British vegetables, both indigenous and naturalized, might 

 be rendered much more serviceable to our species, than they 

 are at present supposed capable of becoming. 

 With this view I selected the following. 



1 . Msculus Hippocastanum, or Horse Chesmit. 



Of the fruit of this tree, fresh-gathered, peeled, and skin- Horse chesjiut. 

 ned, 



1000 grains, rasped in water with a coarse file, afford 



Graias, 



Fine white dry fecula 200 



Discoloured or yellowish fecula 32 



Dry pulp SQt 



Water, soluble mucilage, oil, and extractive mat- 

 ter •••••>••••« 688 



1000 



Thus we find the fruit of the horse chesnut contains more 

 than one fifth of its weight of fecula, the whole pf which is 

 converted into animal matter, in the process of digestion! 

 We may therefore, in a time of scarcity, accept with grati- 

 tude another rich and wholesome fruit, which has hitherto 

 been held in little estimation. 



And indeed at a time when there is no scarcity, those per- 

 sons, about whose habitations this handsome tree is found to 

 flourish, may profitably employ its fruit in the manner here 

 pointed out. 



2. Quercus ^obur, Common Oak. 



The acorn affords a considerable quantity of fecula, but Acorns, 

 its colour, which is a dirty light brown, similar to powdered 

 salep, will always detract from its value, and prevent its in- 

 troduction to general use, so long as a more elegant article 

 can be procured with equal facility, and at the same ex- 

 pense. However, I am fully persuaded its colour does not 

 injure its nutritive property, 



1000 



