BOTANY. 130 



exposed to the sun ; consequently, the huyer is benefited 

 by purchasing the stick at a later season, say February and 

 March, for then he buys, as you -will readily see, root, in- 

 stead of shoot or skin ; but, as the means of manufactujing 

 it into starch is somewhat limited (there being only about 

 three maclunes of any power on the islands), the manufac- 

 turer has to begin early, and takes his chance of getting it 

 with or without the skin or covering. 



"The root is grated by a machine, worked by horse 

 power ; it is afterwards washed, and passed through sieves, 

 or cloths, ' small by degrees, and beautifully less,' till aU the 

 flour is taken from it. It formerly took some time to dry, 

 and would, occasionally, get mouldy ; but, latterly, by the 

 assistance of the screw press, it is instantly freed from 

 water, and a day's drying in the sun renders the starch fit 

 for use. There is less of it grown in Bermuda than ever, 

 and, notwithstanding the price is much higher, and higher 

 stm it doubtless will be, it is not near so profitable as other 

 things. It lies a whole year in the ground ; potatoes only 

 about a hundred, or a hundred and ten days, with much 

 less trouble attendant on their culture, and a certain market 

 in the United States." 



That the Bermudian Arrow-root will, ere long, cease 

 to be an important export from the Colony, is not to be 

 doubted ; and, taking into consideration the present condi- 

 tion and high price of labour, other products will be found 

 a much more profitable speculation, and so cause "real 

 Bermudian Arrow-root" to rank in scarceness with "real 

 old East India Madeira." 



In 1851, the value of the Arrow-root exported from the 

 Bermudas, was =&5,595 18s. 6d. 



