No. 5. — 1850.] SUGAR MANUFACTURE. 



221 



Two methods are, as described by my brother, employed 

 by the natives to preserve the juice from fermentation by 

 separating the feculencies. As to the nature of these 

 feculencies, we are still, unfortunately, very much in the 

 dark. We have, even did we possess time and ability, no 

 apparatus or materials for the investigation of the subject, 

 and it is for that reason I earnestly entreat the Society, 

 should they agree with me in considering the subject to 

 merit sufficient importance, to cause all possible efforts to be 

 made to have these particulars thoroughly and scientifically 

 elucidated. But I will communicate what I know on the 

 point, as that will be some guide perhaps as to what 

 direction the attention of the investigator should be 

 addressed. 



From the end of the spadix, a slimy matter is observable, 

 oozing out with air bubbles along with the juice, and whether 

 with bark or lime, but more especially with lime, an 

 abundant bulky mass of this substance, called in Tamil 

 mundi, is generally found on straining the juice ; but 

 curious to say, when the spadix is reduced to a mere stump 3 

 and the running of the toddy draws near an end, very 

 little indeed, if any of this mundi is seen. I imagine 

 from this that the mundi goes, in the economy of the 

 plant, to form the flowers, &c, but may not be needed by it 

 when the fruit is established ; but this is a mere suggestion. 

 It is not the substance which is all precipitated by the 

 defecating agents employed, for they are equally necessary 

 when we see none of it, and it also exists in the drinking 

 toddy, which has had nothing put into it. This mundi, 

 then, is a white, opaque, pasty substance, quite tasteless 

 and devoid of smell, and when washed and dried contracts, 

 and becomes first elastic and india-rubber-like, and next 

 hard, and of somewhat the appearance of gum, but when 

 again put into cold water swells, and becomes as at 



