124 Food-Grains of India. 



The nutrient-ratio in lupines is i : i"4, and the nutrient- 

 value ']']. The high amount of fibre present in these seeds 

 renders a good deal of the albuminoids and oil they contain 

 unavailable for digestion. It should also be noted that the seeds 

 of most varieties of lupine contain one or more bitter principles. 

 These contain nitrogen, are of the nature of alkaloids, and are 

 poisonous. The seeds of the blue lupine contain a liquid alkaloid, 

 different from the two alkaloids found in the yellow lupine. The 

 seeds of some few varieties may perhaps be free from these 

 objectionable constituents, but careful and complete experiments 

 to determine this point are still wanting. The poisonous alkaloids 

 of lupines are dissipated or destroyed when the seeds are 

 thoroughly cooked by boiling. 



GUAR-BEANS. 



Cyamopsis psoralioides, D.C. 



Synonyms — Psoralea tetragonoloba (Linn.)j Lupinus trifoliatus (Cav.) ; Dolichos 



psoralioides (Lamk.) ; D. fabEeformis (L'H&it). 

 Hind. — Mutki'-puUi. Punjab — Mot-safaid, Gu^r. Tam. — Koth-averay. Tel. — 



Goruchik-kudu. 



A robust, hairy, erect annual herb, 2 to 3 feet high. It 

 belongs to the sub-order Papilionacese of the Leguminosae and 

 to the tribe Galegese. The other species of Cyamopsis is 

 African. The pods of this species are thick, and from i>^ to 

 2 inches long. It grows on the plains from the Himalaya to the 

 Western Peninsula. It is cultivated, not only for its ripe seeds, 

 but as a green vegetable, the pods being eaten like those of 

 French beans. The dry beans are used as food for animals as 

 well as for man ; an average yield is 10 maunds per acre. 

 Composition of Guar-beans. 



The nutrient-ratio is here i : 17, while the nutrient-value is 

 79 ; the indigestible fibre is rather high. 



