Yacon chips are prepared under various conditions ; the contents of water, reduced and unreduced sugars, gross proteins, dietary fibers, and minerals are quantified. From the results of the analysis, yacon chips are concluded to be an excellent delicious food for supplying dietary fibers. The optimal conditions for preparing yacon chips are searched.

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We carried out a series of investigations concerning "stain-removing." After trying to remove various stains from several types of textiles, by methods that can be easily done in daily life, we investigated detergent-efficency and changes at different times. In this investigation, we used four types of textiles : cotton, silk, polyester, and a spun-blend of cotton and polyester, and 12 kinds of stains : soysauce, sauce, coffee, orange juice, curry, magic marker, ball-point ink, Chinese ink, lipstick, make-up foundation, iron rust and mud. The results obtained are as follows : 1. Water-soluble stains can be easily removed. 2. Oil stains can also be easily removed with the help of an organic solvent. 3. Chinese ink and magic marker stains, which contain dye, are impossible to remove completely.

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This study is aimed at discovering a new sewing technique whereby Japanese yukata can be made safe from seam puckering after washing. The following experiments were conducted in this present investigation : Two yukatas, one sewn by hand, the other by machine, were made, using the same two types of thread. These samples were examined to study the phenomenon of seam puckering both before and after washing. Our findings are as follows : 1) There is no great difference in seam puckering observed between hand-made and machine-made yukata after washing. 2) However, it is clear that machine-made yukata exhibit a little less seam puckering than hand-made yukata. 3) Moreover, concering partial seam puckering after washing, our research shows that three parts of a yukata, namely, sode-guchi, sode-furi and eri-shita are more prone to seam puckering than the other parts of a yukata. Thus, this experiment demonstrates that it is clearly necessary to develop a new sewing technique that will guarantee that the three above-mentioned parts of a yukata are made safe from seam puckering after washing.

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In order to ascertain the adaptability and elasticity of food by analysing the factors involved in food from the psychological aspect, taste factor, cooking sence and appetite factor tests were conducted with 400 female junior college students. The results are as follows: 1) According to the taste factor test, the majority of female students fall under the Second Degree of Taste, and are familiar to a medium degree with the knowledge and techniques used in formulating menus and cooking, and are also normal in their social considerations and physio-psychological reactions. 2) With respect to the taste index, cooking sense index and appetite index according to their major, students of the Food Life Program 1 and Dieticiam Program 1 showed a higher value, demonstrating a strong tendency in both adaptability and awareness of food. 3) The cooking sense factor analysis showed that the majority of students positively carry out cleaning and neat arrangement. With respect to studying; however, they lack a positive attitude, make little effort to create something, are short of seasonal sense, and have little aesthetic interest. In addition, the numbers of students sensitive to changes in their living environment were conspicuously small. 4) Students majoring in Physical Education show a lower index in all factors than the other majors, demonstrating a significant difference (P <0.01). 5) It is assumed that the difference in educational environment for food largely affects taste, cooking sense, and appetite.

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Clothes reflect the social structure of the period and they have an especially close relationship with culture. Throughout history clothing styles have made many transitions. Of all the styles in the long history of the dress the 'robe a la francaise'is said to be the most exquisite and voluminous. This fashion flourished in France's 18th Century Court Culture, Rococo(1715-1789). It is very rare to see surviving dresses in perfect condition. This time, an original dress from around 1765 was chosen to be studied. There are three characteristic Rococo items which make up the dress-the robe, petticoat and stomacher and these were each remade to study the shape and physique of the woman, the sewing technique, and the wearing technique. For the reproduction of this dress, the pattern shown in 'DRESSSTUDY' Spring 1988, Vol. 13, p.19, was used as a base. The surface of the dress, with its extensive hem and train decorations, looks highly ornate and very beautiful. However, when we look at the underneath of the dress, it is sewn quite broadly. This may be due to the maker's tendency to concentrate only on what people can see and a tendency to neglect the parts which they cannot see. Alternatively, it may be that the maker wished to minimise the number of stitches for a specific purpose. This would allow easy re-making of the dress, which was often the case in this period. A further observation is the illusory effect of the dress when worn. The wearer's waist appears to be smaller and slimmer than the real measurements would suggest. Because a dress of this period could not be worn without a great deal of assistance it would seem that practicality and rationality in the wearing were not considered particularly important.

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