Pulse or Leguminous Seeds. 



139 



a cold-weather crop, being sown in September and October, and 

 reaped in March and" April. It is commonly cultivated, especially 

 in the North-West Provinces and Madras. It yields from 6% to 

 8 maunds per acre, or, if irrigated, ro to 12 maunds. The yield 

 might be increased if more pains were taken in the selection 

 of seed for sowing, as there are some varieties of the lentil 

 which produce seeds weighing twice as much as the small 

 common sort, and which yet do not make a proportionately 

 increased demand upon the resources of the soil. 



Composition of Lentils. 



The nutrient-ratio in lentils is i : 2-5, and the nutrient- 

 value 87. The lentil is generally regarded as a pulse of the 

 second class, inferior to mung {Phaseolus Mungo), but equal 

 to urhur, the pigeon-pea. It is highly nutritious but somewhat 

 heating ; it should be carefully freed from the husk or coat. 

 The bitter substance which occurs in lentils may be removed 

 to some extent by soaking them for a short time in water in 

 which a little carbonate of soda (common washing soda) has been 

 dissolved. The meal of lentils, deprived of their coat, is of great 

 richness, containing generally more albuminoid or flesh-forming 

 matter than bean or pea-flour. The preparations advertised 

 under the names of " Revalenta," " Ervalenta," etc., consist 

 mainly of lentil meal, mixed with the flour of barley or some 

 other cereal, and common salt. 



* 0-8 of phosphoric acid. t 07 of phosphoric acid. 



