47 



18.— PEA. 



Nat. Ord. — Leguminosae. 



Pimm Sativum. 



The Starches of this Natural Order possess 

 peculiarities which readily distinguish them from 

 those of other Natural Orders. The Seeds differ 

 from those of the cereals by containing a much 

 larger proportion of albuminoids, consequently 

 they occupy a most important position as articles 

 of human food. Dried ripe Peas, when split and 

 well cooked, are well-known in the form of Pea 

 Soup and Pease Pudding, when ground they are 

 known as Pea Flour. 



The Starch of the Pea and Bean are very 

 similar, being rather large and oval in shape, with 

 some feint traces of concentric lines, and the place 

 of the hilum is frequently occupied by an irregular 

 slit, giving the appearance of a process of breaking 

 up having commenced. The adulteration of other 

 substances with the ground seeds of either Peas 

 or Beans would be an easy matter, as no other 

 Natural Order of Plants produces Starch at all 

 similar. 



