ng the starch upon the cloths, in which it is pressed or
wrung, to extract as much as possible of the water; and the remainder is
evaporated, by cutting the starch into pieces, which are laid up in airy
places, upon a floor of plaster or of slightly burnt bricks, until it
becomes completely dried from all moisture, partly by the access of warm
air, and partly by the floor imbibing the moisture. In winter time, the
heat of a stove must be employed to effect the drying. Lastly, the
pieces of dried starch are scraped, to remove the outside crust, which
makes inferior starch, and these pieces are broken into smaller pieces
for sale. The grain which remains in the sack after the starch is
extracted, contains the husks and the glutinous part of the wheat, which
are found very nutritious food for cattle. The French manufacturers,
according to "Les Arts et Metiers," pursue a more economical method, as
they are enabled, by employing an acid water for the fermentation in
the first instance, to use the most inferior wheat, and the bran or
husks of wheat. This water they prepare, by putting a pailful of warm
water into a tub, with about two pounds of leaven, such as some bakers
use to make their dough rise or ferment. The water stands two days, and
is then stirred up, and half a pailful of warm water added to it; then
being left to settle till it is clear, it is poured off for use. To use
this water in the fermentation of the materials, a quantity of it is
poured into a tub, and about as much fair water is poured upon it as
will fill the tub half full: the remainder of the tub is then filled up
with the materials, which are one half refuse wheat, and the other half
bran. In this tub it continues to steep and ferment during ten days, or
less, according to the strength of the leaven-water, and according to
the disposition of the weather for fermentation. When the materials have
been sufficiently steeped, or fermented, an unctuous matter, which is
the oil of the grain, will be seen swimming on the surface, having been
thrown up by the fermentation. This must be scummed off; and the
fermented grain, being taken out of the tub, is put into a fine hair
sieve, placed over a settling-tub, when fair water is poured upon it,
and washed through the sieve into the tub; by which means the starch is
carried through the sieve with the water, of which about six times the
quantity of the grain are used. The water stands in the settling tub for
a day,