UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE | 
, 
s-%¥ BULLETIN No. 612 Weaey 
ZAI Wd BAN ean 
Centzibution from the States Relations Service ak 
A. C. TRUE, Director. 
Washington,D.C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER November 8, 1917 
THE DIGESTIBILITY OF THE DASHEEN. 
By C. F. LANGwortuHy, Chief, and A. D. Hotmss, Specialist in Charge of 
Digestion Experiments, Office of Home Economics. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. | Page. 
HR ETOCUCHION nea sees see ec a. oe 1 | Details of the experiments. ........-.-------- 4 
Nature of the diet during the test periods.... 2e |, DISEHSSTOMOLTESUliSus sacs = eee ek ee 9 
SSEDIC CS: ae ee ema nee ee Sy i COMCIUSIONS 2. icc als clemicn ee cng aaiale gene nares 10 
Relation between maturity and digestibility . 3 
INTRODUCTION. 
The dasheen, with other varieties of the taro (Colocasia esculenta), 
is a staple article of food for millions of people in tropical countries, 
the large, starchy tubers being ground and used like flour, cooked 
like potatoes, or prepared in a special way like the Hawaiian poi. 
Until recently these roots have been little known in this country, 
but of late the Department of Agriculture has given considerable 
attention to the selection of varieties suited to the warm localities 
where white potatoes do not grow well.t As a result, it has been 
found that the dasheen may be profitably grown, and attempts are 
being made to include it in the dietary as a starchy vegetable. Be- 
cause its flavor and uses are so similar to those of the white potato, 
the dasheen will no doubt serve as a crop to supplement the potato 
supply, especially in regions where it will thrive and the potato can 
not be successfully grown. 
1U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus, 1110 (1914). 
13112°—17—Bull. 612 
