338 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1899. 
off through a series of taps till the farina is left in a solid mass at the bottom. 
Now it will be seen that the surface iy covered with a dirty slime. This is 
washed off and is put away for pig food, a certain amount of farina going with 
it. Water is then again admitted, the farina is stirred up with it, and it passes 
then through a fine silk sieve into the next trough, leaving the first one clear 
for the followmg day’s work. After further skimming and washing, the now 
almost clean product passes into the circular trough, which runs right round 
the building. In this there is an agitator, like the paddlewheel of a steamer, 
which revolves and thoroughly stirs up the whole mass. When the agitation 
has proceeded for some time, the farina is once more allowed to settle, and a 
final superficial washing of the mass takes place. This process does away with 
all hand-washing. In fact, from the time the bulbs are emptied from the 
drays' on to the carriers, they are not handled in any way, except to cut off any 
stalks which may not have been cut off close enough. The farina is finally 
dug from the circuitous trough, passed through the centrifugal to extract all 
possible moisture, and is then taken to the drying ground, where it is exposed 
to the sun on frames covered with calico. Should a shower of rain fall on it 
whilst it is drying, the rainwater has the singular effect of turning the farina 
brown, when it has to be rewashed. After drying it is bagged and put up for 
export. 
P Most mills are constructed on the same plan, and the process is practically 
the same in all. : 
There are in the Pimpama district, seven steam mills in operation, of a 
capacity of from 10 ewt. to 30 ewt. of farina per day, and two more mills are 
in process of erection. On the Coomera, the Messrs. Grimes have an extensive 
plant and cultivate largely. Hand and horse mills are never employed. 
The average yield of farina per acre may be set down at from 1 to 2 tons, 
and the price in Brisbane ranges from £12 to £20 per ton, or an average say 
of £15 per ton. Firewood is a considerable item of expense, as it requires 
about a cord of wood for each ton of roots. Shipments of arrowroot sent to 
London have been sold as low as 12d. per Jb., or £16 per ton; freight amounting 
to about 3d. per lb. The cost of erecting a mill such as I have described 
would reach about £1,200, with an additional £200 for necessary drying and 
storing sheds. Where cornflour is made, the expense of the mill is much 
greater, in fact it may reach over £4,000. At Mr. Lahey’s mill cornflour ig 
made, and the process is much akin to the manufacture of arrowroot. 
The corn (maize) is first steeped in hot water, and is then ground between 
large millstones, after which it passes through sieves into huge vats, where it 
settles and the gluten remains on the surface. This gluten, however, cannot 
be washed off without the aid of chemicals. ; 
[i had intended to give some illustrations of an arrowroot mill with this 
article, but must defer them until the busy season comes round, when the mills 
will be in full working order. | 
There are, in the Pimpama district, which includes Ormeau, about 330 
acres under arrowroot. In 1898 there were 335 acres. The great obstacle to 
the extension of the industry is the want of a large market. If that could be 
obtained, then there would be no better or less expensive crop for the farmer, 
Once the bulbs are planted, they give little trouble beyond keeping them clean 
for the first 8 months, after which nothing more is required until harvest time. 
It seems a pity that no use can be found for the enormous mass of stalk 
and foliage produced. Some planters plough the stalks in, when they act both 
as manure and as drains. There are few prettier sights on the farm than a field 
of well-grown arrowroot in full bloom. 
Mr. H. V. Jackson, Manager of the Wollongbar Experiment Farm, New 
South Wales, in an article in the New South Wales Agricultural Gazette, 
quotes a letter from Messrs. Robert Harper and Co., on the subject of arrow- 
root samples made from tubers grown at Wollongbar. Those gentlemen 
say :—‘ Replying to your favour of 7th instant, regarding arrowroot, in 
speaking of the “prepared article” in our last letter, we meant the prepared 
