344 



ARROWROOT. 



The following have been the total imports of arrowroot into the 

 United Eangdom, and the value : — 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



Year. 



Quantity. 



^ Value. 





cwts. 



£ 





cwts. 



£ 



1863 



11,436 



30,994 



1870 



16,919 



25,515 



1864: 



12,243 



30,567 



1871 





34,013 



1865 



17,691 



34,813 



1872 





33,771 



1866 



20,264 



33,868 



1873 





35,204 



1867 



20,786 



29,393 



1874 





41,281 



1868 



15,321 



23,111 



1875 





56,143 



1869 



15,870 



22,875 







Bermuda. — The arrowroot from this island has always been con- 

 sidered the finest and the best quality made, its superiority either 

 arising from the nature of the water or soil, or from greater care in 

 the manufacture. In 1851 arrowroot to the value of 10,334Z. was 

 shipped, this gradually declined to 3000Z. or 4000Z. in 1866, and now 

 the culture has been altogether abandoned and given way to more 

 profitable crops. The shipments in 1870 were only about 25 cwts. 

 against 500 cwts. in 1868. 



In Bermuda arrowi'oot is planted in May and is ripe in March 

 and April ; the time for manufacturing is in April and May, when the 

 cold winds set in, ranging from north-west to east. The whole pro- 

 cess is done in water. The root is grated or torn into a pulp, this is 

 strained through three different sieves, each one finer than the other, 

 left to settle in the bottom of the tubs, then collected into one tub, 

 and passed through the fine sieve into clean water. When settled the 

 brown starch is taken off the top of the white. This brown starch is 

 much more astringent and efiicacious in bowel complaints than the 

 white, and is locally preferred. The arrowroot is then passed through 

 more clean water and a fine sieve for the last time, and settles in the 

 tub. It is taken out, placed on cloths to harden, and then broken up 

 fine on trays and dried in the wind and sun. Four barrels of peeled 

 and cleaned roots will yield in good seasons about 100 lbs. of good 

 arrowroot, and will take from five to six puncheons of clear soft or 

 tank water, it will be about twenty-four hours in the water from the 

 time of grinding till it is upon the cloths or drainers. 



Jamaica. — The quantity of land under culture with arrowroot 

 varies. In 1869 there were 651 acres ; in 1870, 49J acres ; and in 

 1874, 64 acres. The exports have declined year by year as follows : 



Lbs. Lbs. 



1866 70,204 1870 6,343 



1867 44,566 1872 .. .. .. 13,328 



1868 27,346 1874 4,592 



1869 11,731 



When made by the labourers in the West Indies on a small scale, 

 arrowroot is prepared much in the same manner as potato starch in 

 this country for domestic use ; the only implements required are a 

 grater and wooden troughs and trays ; when made on a larger scale. 



