CASEIN

the caseinogen of milk after precipitation—skim-milk and buttermilk being used for its commercial separation. It is the preponderant protein constituent of milk, constitutes the greater part of the curd of soured milk, and is an important (in some types, the chief) ingredient of cheese. Separated and dried, it is a crumbly sort of powder, varying from white to yellowish according to the proce employed. It is incorporated in many ‘‘prepared foods’’— blended with flours, ete. Industrially, casein is employed in painters’ materials, in paper manufacture, as a substitute for ivory and celluloid, and in the textile industry. Vegetable casein, similar in character. may be obtained from seeds—with special ease and abundance from soy-beans. CASHEW-NUT (see illustration in the color-page of Tropic a Frurrs facing 244), a kidney-shaped nut, the fruit of the cashew, a large, spreading, widely cultivated tropical tree. The nut develops pendant fashion on a gro ly enlarged, pear-shaped, edible fruit-stalk known as the ‘‘cashew-apple.”’ The kernels are greenish-brown, rich in milky juice when fresh, and with a delicate almond flavor. They are eaten raw, roasted, and pickled. The whole raw nut should never be crushed by the hands or teeth, for between its two shells is a thick liquid which is so caustic that it readily blisters the lips and skin. The acid disappears with heat, so roasted nuts—the form in which they are generally marketed here—do not offer this objection. The ‘‘apple’’ is generally red or yellow, sometimes nearly white, and in good specimens attains a length of three inches. It is seldom seen in this country but it has a pleasing subacid flavor and is enjoyed locally.: