SAGO.
Sagu-dana, . . . BENG. Sagu, Sagu-ehawal, Hum. Kwang-lang,-mien, CHIN. Sagu, JAV., MALAY, MALE. So-muh-mien, . „ Show-arisi, . . . TAM.
Si-kuh-mi, . . . „ Zow-bium, . . . TEL.
Sago, and starchy substances allied to it, are obtained from many palms. Sago starch is con tained in the cellular tissue of the stem, and is separated by bruising and elutriation. The finest is procured from the steins of Saps lreviq, Rnmph., a native of Borneo and Sumatra ; and Arenga saccharifera, Labillardiere, furnishes a large supply of sugar, and when exhausted of its saccharine sap, yields sago of good quality.
In Java, the Arenga saccharifera is the only source of sago, which is uSed in considerable quantity in the western and poorer districts of the island, and is offered for sale in all the markets. It is smaller in quantity than iu the pith of the true sago tree, more difficult to extract, and inferior in quality, possessing a certain peculiar flavour from w hich the farina of the true sago is free. Some trees will produce five or six female spadices, before yielding a single male one ; such trees are considered unprofitable by the toddy collectors, but in this case it is said that they yield sago equal in quality, though not in quantity, to the Cycas circinalis, from which, both in the East and West Indies, a kind of sago is procured. One tree yielded about 150 lbs. of good sago meal.
In the Moluccas, large quantities are obtained from the Sagus lmvis and Arenga saccharifera. The Malays prefer that of Sagus hevis, but the Sagus farinifera, Gxrtn., of the eastern islands of the Indian Ocean, also yields a sago.
Sago, sugar, and palm wine are procured from the Caryota urens. The farinaceous part of the trunk of old trees is manufactured into sago, equal to the best farina, being highly nutritious. It is said, indeed, to be equal to that of the true sago palm, and is much used as sago meal in Canara and Cochin. The best sago is made at Cochin from October to June, as in its preparation bright sunshine is required to mature the opera tion. The first sort may be delivered on the sea coast at Rs. 4/ per maund (25 lbs.), the second sort Rs. 21 per mauxid. C. obtusa, Griffith, of the Mishmi Hills, and C. sobolifera, Wall., of the Andamans, are also known.
A. farina is prepared in Brazil from the inside.
of the trunk of the Carnauba, Copernica cerifera.
The pithy portion of the trunk of the gebang palm, Corypha gebanga, Blume, yields a sort of sago, as also that of the Sabal Adansonii, the sa,go palm of New Ireland and New Guinea.
Sago is made in Malabar and Ceylon from the pith of the talipot pahn, the Corypha umbraculi fera.
Cochin - China sago seems from– Loureiro's account to be obtained from the Arenga sacchaii fera and Cycas inerrnis. According to Thunberg, it is from the Cycas rcvoluta that the Japanese manufacture it. From the soft stem of Cycas eireinalis, Lied of sago is produced both in the East and West Indies.
Metroxylon filare, Mort., native of China, yields an inferior sago of commerce.
In India, a sago is obtained from the Plicenix farinifera, In China, sago is obtained from Ithapis !label liformis, from which, also, it is made for native use in Tmvancore, 3fysore, and Wynad, the l'eninsula of India.
Mergui sago is manufactured from the Tacea pinnatifida, and may be seen in every bazar in the fenasserim Provinces, the plant abounding along the sea-shores. The same plant is common in the South Sea Islands, and its tubers there supply to the inhabitants the place of bread. A. spurious kind of arrowroot has long been made at Mergui from the same plant as that which yields the sago, but medical men have decided that it con tains properties which render it unsuitable for the sick, and cheinical analysis bas developed that it contains only half the nutritious qualities of genuine arrowroot.
Saes) occurs in commerce in two states,—pul verilfent and granulated. (1) The meal or flour, in the form of a fine amylaceous powder, whitish, with a bully or reddish tint ; odour faint, but somewhat unpleasant and musty. (2) Granulated sago of two kinds,—pearl and common brown. The former occurs in small hard grains, not exceeding in size that of a pin's head, inodorous, and having little ta.ste. They have a brownish or pinkish-yellow tint, and are somewhat translue,ent. Ily the aid of a solution of chloride of Hine they can be bleached, and rendered perfectly white. The dealers, it is said, pay £7 per ton for bleach ing it. Common brown sago occurs in larger brownish-white grains about the size of pearl barley.