16 



3 & 4.— BERMUDA ARROWEOOT, AND ST. 



VINCENT OR WEST INDIAN ARROWROOT. 



Nat. Obd. — Marantacese. 



Maranta arundinacea. 



These Arrowroots, although commercially 

 distinct, are here classed together on account of 

 their identity of origin. Both are obtained from 

 Maranta arundinacea and other allied species. 

 The granules of Starch are much smaller than the 

 two species previously described, the concentric 

 lines are much less distinct, but the hilum is 

 prominent and frequently takes the shape of a 

 well deiined slit instead of the usual round spot ; 

 small protruberances may also be frequently 

 observed in these starches ; these are very charac- 

 teristic of West Indian Arrowroots. 



The process of manufacture is much the same 

 as that of " Tons le mois," viz., by straining out 

 the fibrous matter from the crushed rhizomes and 

 tubers when mixed with water, and then washing 

 by agitation and subsidence. 



These, and the South African Arrowroots, 

 are more extensively used as invalid food than 

 any other Starches, the variety known as Bermuda, 



