84 POPULAR ECONOMIC BOTANY. 



tured ; it is sold under the name of Patent Starch, and is 

 now very extensively used both in the laundry, and also in 

 the muslin manufactories. 



Tahiti Arrow- Root, or Otaheite Salep, is the fecula 

 produced by Tacca pinnalifida. (Nat. Ord. Taccacece.) 



The Tacca pinnatijida is a native of the Molucca Islands, 

 and also the islands of the Pacific Ocean ; it is also exten- 

 sively cultivated in various parts of China and India. Its 

 tuberous roots under cultivation acquire considerable size, 

 and are eaten by the natives of China, Cochin China, and 

 various other parts of the world; they are however very 

 bitter. The arrow-root formed from these tubers comes 

 from Tahiti, and is there manufactured chiefly by the native 

 converts to Christianity, under the superintendence of the 

 missionaries. It is prepared by rasping the soft fleshy 

 roots upon a rude kind of rasp, made by winding coir yarn 

 round a piece of board ; the rigidity of the cocoa-fibre (coir) 

 is quite sufficient to effect the purpose of rubbing the roots 

 to a pulp, which is then washed with sea-water, and the 

 fecula, which is abundant, is deposited from the water used 

 in the process. It is found in commerce rarely, and is 

 usually in packets, labelled "Arrow-root prepared by the 

 native converts at the Missionary Stations in the South Sea 

 Islands." 



