558 
Quinoa. 
J  Am.  Jour.  Pharm„ 
t     Dec.  1, 1872. 
and  white  seeds,  is  the  one  commonly  cultivated  around  the  lake  of 
Titicaca. 
In  1834  it  was  first  known  in  England,  and  in  1838  was  figured  and 
described  in  Curtis's  "  Botanical  Magazine." 
The  Chenopodium  Quinoa^  Willd.,  is  a  herbaceous  annual,  with  a 
stout  erect  angular  stem  of  from  three  to  four,  or  even  five  feet  in 
height  in  a  good  soil ;  it  branches  considerably,  with  short  erect 
branches.  The  lower  leaves  are  as  large  as  the  human  hand,  and 
of  somewhat  triangular  shape  on  long  footstalks,  and  of  a  pale  rather 
glaucous  hue.  Small  green  inconspicuous  flowers,  and  afterwards 
the  fruit,  are  produced  on  numerous  panicles,  both  axillary  and 
terminal.  The  whole  habit  of  the  plant  closely  resembles  the 
goosefoot  and  spinach.  The  peculiar  hue  is  caused  by  the  myriads 
of  glandular  hairs,  with  subglobose  iridescent  heads,  with  which  the 
plant  is  studded,  and  which  are  exceedingly  beautiful  under  the  mi- 
croscope. 
It  is  said  that  any  light  argillaceous  soil  is  suitable  for  its  cultiva- 
tion. The  ground  appropriated  to  it  is  ploughed  or  well  broken  up? 
and  the  seeds  sown  in  furrows  a  yard  apart.  Or  the  seeds  may  be 
sown  in  beds  and  afterwards  transplanted.  The  seed  time  is  in  the 
spring,  and  the  harvest  about  seven  months  after. 
When  quite  ripe,  the  seeds,  which  are  about  the  size  of  white  mus- 
tard seed,  but  flatter,  are  easily  reduced  to  a  whitish  meal.  It  is  not 
tenacious  when  mixed  with  water,  as  is  the  case  with  wheaten  flour, 
but  more  resembles  oatmeal,  and  is  therefore  scarcely  fit  for  making 
bread. 
The  starch  granules  are  exceedingly  minute,  and  constitute  nearly 
40  per  cent,  of  the  grain  in  its  natural  state.  According  to  analysis, 
it  contains  upwards  of  five  per  cent,  of  sugar,  seven  and  a  half  per 
cent,  of  casein,  and  upwards  of  eleven  per  cent,  of  albumen,  and  other 
protein  compounds.  This  large  amount  of  protein  is  unusual  in  fari- 
naceous seeds,  and  indicates  considerable  nutritive  value. 
The  varieties  cultivated  in  Arequipa  are  called  "  Colorada,"  "Ama- 
rilla,"  "Blanca,"  "Real,"  " Ccosccossa,"  "  Uchacachi,"  "Ccancolla," 
"Ccoyto,"  and  the  bitter  seeded  variety  uAmarga." 
In  Lima  two  methods  are  employed  in  the  preparation  of  quinoa. 
In  one  case  it  is  boiled  in  water  like  oatmeal,  and  a  kind  of  gruel  is 
the  result,  in  which  the  seeds  float,  or  at  least  the  remains  of  them ; 
this  is  seasoned  with  pimento.    The  other  method  is  a  favorite  with 
