STARCH, a ſecula or ſediment, found at the bottom of veſſels wherein wheat has been ſteeped in water, of which ſecula, after ſeparating the bran from it, by paſſing it through ſieves, they form a kind of loaves, which being dried in the ſun or an oven, is afterwards cut into little pieces, and ſo fold. The beſt ſtarch is white, ſoft, and friable, and eaſily broken into powder. Such as require fine ſtarch, do not content themſelves, like the ſtarchmen, with reſidue wheat, but uſe the fineſt grain. The proceſſ is as follows: The grain being well cleaned, is put to ferment in veſſels full of water, which they expoſe to the ſun while in its greateſt heat; changing the water twice a-day, for the ſpace of eight or twelve days, according to the ſeaſon. When the grain burſts eaſily under the finger, they judge it ſufficiently fermented. The fermentation perfected, and the grain thus ſoftened, it is put, handful by handful, into a canvas-bag, to ſeparate the flour from the huſks; which is done by rubbing and beating it on a plank laid acroſs the mouth of an empty veſſel that is to receive the flour.
As the veſſels are filled with this liquid flour, there is ſeen ſwimming at top a reddiſh water, which is to be carefully ſcummed off from time to time, and clean water is to be put in its place, which, after ſtirring the whole together, is alſo to be ſtrained through a cloth or ſieve, and what is left behind put into the veſſel with new water, and expoſed to the ſun for ſome time. As the ſediment thickens at the bottom, they drain off the water four or five times, by inclining the veſſel, but without paſſing it through the ſieve. What remains at bottom is the ſtarch, which
they cut in pieces to get out, and leave it to dry in the ſun. When dry, it is laid up for uſe.