and yield 10 tons of fresh
roots, and I have every reason to believe that such a return might be
obtained, I have ascertained that the produce would be 31/2 tons of
meal, 598 lbs. of _casareep_, and 2 cwt. of starch; and estimating the
meal at 1d. per lb., the _casareep_ at 1s. 5d. per lb., and the starch
at 40s. per cwt., the gross amount would be L78 13s. 4d. per acre. In
ascertaining these proportions, very simple machinery was employed,
and had the pulp been better pressed the quantity of _casareep_ would
have been considerably greater.

From the table given in a former note it will be seen that the cassava
meal prepared in this way contains but a very small proportion of
matter nutritive in the sense of contributing to the formation of
blood, and that the expressed juice carries off fully one-half of the
proteine compounds contained in the plant.

Lichenin is a variety of starch occurring in _Cetraria islandica_, or
Iceland moss.

_Indian corn starch_.--The advance of science has recently brought to
our knowledge the preparation and use of another article, not only
important as food, but also essential in the arts. I have had occasion
to mention the high value of the Indian corn, and I might with
advantage allude to many of its uses and properties; at present I must
confine my remarks to a product from this valuable grain, known as
corn starch, and yet another as the fecula of maize. In the close of
1849, Mr. Willard and his associates, of Auburn, established extensive
works at Oswego, for the preparation of these important products,
their establishment covering an area of 49,000 square feet. As the
proprietors have to some extent held unrevealed the process by which
they produce a starch more pure than the starch of commerce, we may
not indulge in speculative curiosity; yet I can hardly doubt their
great success is mainly attributable to perfect machinery, guided by
science and talent. The rapid and extended demand for these new
products presents sufficient evidence of their character, as we are
told that about three millions of pounds of this corn starch are
demanded annually by the trade, notwithstanding the usual supply of
wheat starch is undiminished. A remarkable feature of maize starch is
the absence of impurities; upon being subjected to analysis, it is
found that only 2 76-100 parts in 1000 are of other matter than pure
starch. According to Dr. Ure, wheat yields only 35 to 40 per cent, of
good starch,