ARROW-ROOT. 77 



derground stem, or rhizome, which, whilst subterranean, is 

 white and scaly, and contains the fecula in abundance ; but 

 it is afterwards pushed out of the ground and forms a new 

 plant, for the nutrition of which the starch is intended. In 

 procuring the arrow-root, these rhizomes are taken up and 

 beaten to a pulp in wooden mortars ; this mass is then well 

 washed in cold water, and the milky-looking fluid is passed 

 through a fine hair sieve and left to settle; the white sedi- 

 ment is then again washed with pure water, from which it is 

 allowed to subside ; the water is then decanted, and the white 

 sediment laid to dry upon sheets exposed to the sun ; it is 

 then the arrow-root of commerce. That from Bermuda is 

 most celebrated. 



East Indian Arrow-root is the starch procured from a 

 species of Turmeric, Curcuma angustifolia (Nat. Ord. Zin- 

 giberacea), (Plate XI. fig. 54). — This plant produces small 

 rhizomes, in which a remarkable pungency and colouring 

 matter exists; from the sides of these rhizomes spring a 

 number of fibrous continuations of the rhizome; upon many 

 of these fibres are small round tubers, entirely free from the 

 taste, smell, and colour of the main rhizome. These tubers, 

 containing the starch in abundance, are collected and sub- 

 mitted to washing processes similar to that of the West 



