lU-i 



VAIUUUS F(J(JD-rLANT8 



4 



Flu. llli.— (iardcii rhuhaili lJ//,,'iiiu lilni puiihni n, . Buckwheat Family, 

 PuhiQondCfjii) . Flaiit in flower, x '.'.■ ( X'iliii'irin.) — _\ perennial herij; 

 le.af-stalks often re;.!; flower.s \\liitisli: fruit brown and dry. 



rich red tint and are ready for market. As ^-ill l)e seen from 

 tile cliart, eaeao possesses a very liisli niitriti\-e value. 



Starch in the particularly ])alatal)le ftjrnis kno\Mi as sa^o 

 and tapioca, is olrtained from certain tro])ical plants which are 

 especially rich in this form of food. The best sago comes 

 principally from the sj)iiieless stit^o-ptdm, sliown in Fig. IKi. 

 When full grown tli(> tre(> is felled and the trunk cut into 

 s(n'tions to facilitate tin- renio\'al <.)f the spt.ingy pith-like 

 interior, which i.s gorged with starch. By repeated washings 

 the starch is sei)arated from the indigestible material, and 

 is then iinttlly dried ;ind gi'anulated mto small pearl-like 

 masses for the ni;ii-ket, A single tree will yield from fom- 

 hundred to six hundred potnids of sago. 



Ttipioca. is manufaci. ureal chielly fi-om 1 he large lleshy roots 

 of the bilter cassavti ( Fig. 117), ( 'uriousl\- enough the starch 

 in these roois is tissociatial wilh a, milky juice which is de- 

 ciile(lly poisonous. The poison, iio\\'e\'er', is <il' such :i nature 

 LIkiI it entirely disappears in the |iro(a's,s <if pr(.'paration. 



