August 1, 1864.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



USES OF THE HORSE-CHESTNUT. 37 



according to local and climative circumstances. In France there are 

 a large number of these trees, and in Belgium and other European 

 countries it is quite possible to extend them where land is not valuable, 

 or more profitably occupied. 



In 1778, Parnientier, in the investigation which he set on foot at the 

 request of the States of Languedoc, on the alimentary resources of 

 France, placed the horse-chestnut at the head of the list of vegetable 

 products capable of being utilized for the support of man. 



Somewhat later, in 1795, Baume directed also prominent attention 

 to this fruit ; and in the complete treatise which he published on the 

 horse-chestnut, and its use as food, he proposed, for depriving it of its 

 bitterness, first to peel them, and subsequently to treat the pulp by 

 repeated washings in alcohol. But this could scarcely be employed 

 profitably on a large scale and at the same time. Parmentier (' Cours 

 d' Agriculture,' t. viii., p. 202) pointed out that water could be em- 

 ployed with equal advantage in the place of spirits. 



The experience of M. Calmus, in a memoir presented to the Societe 

 d'Encouragement of Paris, also fully demonstrated that it was quite 

 superfluous to seek to deprive the chestnuts of their bitterness by 

 means of agents more or less costly than simple washing in water. 

 M. Calmus, in the memoir alluded to, proposed to utilize the water in 

 which the fruit had been washed for lixiviating and bleaching linen, 

 the husk or perisperm for tanning, and the marc or residue for fattening 

 poultry and domestic animals. 



Notwithstanding these well-known facts, M. Flandin pointed out in 

 1849 (' Comptes-rendus,' torn, xxvii., p. 349) a method of removing the 

 bitterness from horse-chestnut starch, by mixing with 100 kilogrammes 

 of pulp one or two kilogrammes of carbonate of soda ; then washing in 

 several waters, and afterwards straining. The product thus obtained 

 was mixed with other farinaceous substances, and constituted, according 

 to M. Flandin, another food resource. It is probable that the employ- 

 ment of the soda was recommended by Hischermist, because in sum- 

 mer the washing water of the fecula acidifies very quickly, and leads 

 to the formation of a certain quantity of dextrine, which involves a 

 notable loss of starch. 



But although the removal of this bitter principle is indispensable 

 when the starch is intended for alimentation, it is quite unnecessary if 

 the starch is to be used for industrial or manufacturing purposes. Par- 

 mentier, in proposing to employ horse-chestnut starch to supply the place 

 of paste made with food grains, very justly remarks that it has the ad- 

 vantage of not being attacked by insects on account of its bitterness. 

 And bookbinders and makers of pasteboard frequently mix in their 

 paste some aloes, with the object of keeping off insects and mould. It 

 has been suggested by Parmentier and others that the fruit might also 

 be utilized for its potash. The chestnuts are dried and burnt, and the 

 salt obtained by lixiviating the ashes. Or, if preferred, the ashes may 



