348 



AUSTRALIAN ARROWROOT. 



of rasping and washing not more tlian 12 per cent, on the average is 

 obtained. Arrowroot is in extensive use in India, and some is also 

 shipped to Europe. 



Australian Arrowroot. — Attention has of late years been much 

 directed to the production of arrowroot in several of the Australian 

 colonies, facilities having been afforded by the culture and distri- 

 bution of the several plants from the excellent botanic gardens at 

 Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. 



Canna Acliiras, Gillies, native of Mendoza, is one of the few extra- 

 tropical Cannas eligible for arrowroot cultivation. 



G. glauca, Lin., and C. coccinea, Aitkin, yield, with some other 

 Cannas, the particular arrowroot called tons les mois. C. fiaccida, 

 Eoscoe, of Carolina, is probably also available for arrowroot. 



G. edulis, Ker, the Adeii*a of Peru, is one of the hardiest of the 

 arrowroot plants, for seeds, even if many years old, will germinate, 

 and are commonly called Indian shot. 



This species has been extensively introduced into Australia, and, 

 according to Baron Mueller, yields an excellent starch at Melbourne, 

 Western Port, Lake Wellington, Ballarat, and other localities, from 

 plants supplied by the Melbourne Botanic Garden. 



The Eev. Mr. Hageuauer, of the Gij^ps Land Aboriginal Mission 

 station, obtained 220 lbs. of arrowroot from -|- of an acre of this 

 Canna. The gathering of the roots in Australia is effected about 

 April. The plants can be set in ordinary ploughed land. Captain 

 James Hall, of Hastings, prepared also starch largely from this root. 

 The starch grains, it is well known, are remarkably large. 



Neiv South Wales. — Maranta nohilis ajipears to be the species chiefly 

 cultivated for arrowroot in New South Wales. 



In 1870 there were 84 acres of land under arrowroot in New South 

 Wales, from which 13,567 lbs. of arrowroot were obtained, being 

 18,251 lbs. less than were made in the previous year from only 31 

 acres of land. In 1872 from 26 acres 26,454 lbs. were made. 



Queensland. — This colony appears to be peculiarly suited for the 

 cultivation of arrov^Toot, which is gradually supplanting the imported 

 West Indian product in the Australian market. A very small price, 

 about dd. per lb., remunerates the grower who manufactures on a 

 large scale. The plants grown are Maranta arundinacea and Ganna 

 edulis. Manihot utilissima and Jani^ha, and a Japanese variety, M. 

 Japonka, are also cultivated. 



From Queensland, 26,368 lbs. of arro^Toot, valued at 548Z., were 

 exported in 1869, the first shipment of a few packages having been 

 made in 1860. The cultivation and manufacture of arrowroot is be- 

 coming an important affaii* in that colony. The export of the article 

 has gone on increasing for the last five or six years. In 1863 it 

 scarcely had an existence ; in 1870 the export had reached 30,000 lbs. 

 But the quantity exported is small in comparison with the quantity 

 consumed in the colony ; for it is in favour with all classes of the 

 community, and forms an easily digested, but nourishing and most 

 appropriate article of food during their long, hot summer. As the 

 majority of farmers on the coast lands, and not a few of the inland 



