Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-18
How Sage Is Obtained.

THE Island of Ceram, situated Just
vest of New Guinea, is one of the most
places in the Eastern Archi-
nelago 1t abounds in schools, and Euro
bean missionaries have long ago planted
the teachings of Christianity in the minds
OF the people.
Ceram supplies nearly all the neigh
boring islands with daily bread, and this
fact Is something remarkable when we
axe into consideration the inferior size
of the former. This prolificness lies, of
course, in the superiority of the soil.
The sage tree is q species of palm,
much larger in bulk than the cocoa tree,
Init inferior to the latter in height Its
Trunk is densely covered with prlmate
SHINY leaves. When the tree is about
fourteen years old it shoots forth an i'm
mense spike of flowers and then dies.
The sago tree thrives best in swamps, or
in low lands, and is very rarely found on
the rocky slopes of hills.
Food is not the only valuable product
of this tree. The wood, especially the
mid ribs of the large leaves, is used for
various purposes. Houses are built of
It. nails and pegs are made from the
tougher portions; ropes and cables con-
sume the other parts, while the inner
product of the trunk is the staple nour-
ishment of nearly million of human
beings. :.
The reader will now imagine full
crown tree nearly ready to flower cut
down to the earth. The natives are bust
" engaged in tearing away the stalks;
and. this task having been accomplished,
a stout workman, by means of sharp
iron tooth removes broad strip of the
bark from the upper side of the trunk.
This operation exposes to view a soft,
fbrous pith, which, the higher it ascends
the tree, changes-from a dark, rusty color
70 a cream white. 1t is from this pith
that the sage of commerce is produced.
The next step is to break this pith into
a coarse powder. For this purpose the
natives make use of club, large in
s,ze and made of the heaviest wood that
can be found, in the blunt end of which
;s a sharp piece of rock projecting about
half an inch. This instrument is termed
the "crusher." By pounding forcibly
with it the particles of massed sage are
separated from the fibers and fall down
into the trough formed by the bark. The
powder is then scraped into baskets and
carried away to the nearest water to be
washed.
The washing machine is very singu-
lar continuance though of remarkable
SIMPLICITY in its construction. The body
of the machine is made wholly of the
bases of the sage leaves covered with the
leaf stalks of the same tree. The leaf
fibers of the cocoa serve as the strainer.
The powdered pith is emptied into the
trough and water is poured upon it. The
mass is then kneaded aud worked against
the strainer until the starch elements
have all dissolved and passed through.
The undissOlved particles are thrown
away and their place supplied by fresh
basketfuls of pulp.
The reader must bear in mind that the
starch, being much heavier than the
water, does not pass of with it; but af-
ter leaving the strainer the solution
courses gradually along the trough
which is gently inclined and has de-
preston in the center-and deposits the
starch or sediment, while only the water
escapes and loses itself in the soil under
meath.
When this sediment has reached the
height of the trough it is taken out and
rolled into cylinders of about thirty
pounds weight each, and is covered with
young sage leaves. The color of this
rich mass is slight carmine, and in this
state it is known as "raw sago," and ex-
ported to other lands.
Every one knows that sage is brought
to THIS country and is consumed in large
quantities. But the question will arise,
perhaps To what uses do the natives
of Ceram and of other surrounding
islands subject this strange product?
You would best learn the answer to
this question by spending week in
their houses. For breakfast they will
give you boiled sage. This mass is glu-
tinous and has a strong taste, and is al
ways to be eaten with lines, little salt,
and some chile sauce. do not COM
mend this dish to epicures.
At all times they will set before you
sago bread, and this, ] may truly say. is
the best bread in the world, and most ex-
cellent for people who are in poor health.
I'M gine that the lady readers OF Hearty
and Home are good housekeepers and are
always on the lookout for choice recipes.
| shall not hesitate, therefore, to give
them genuine Ceram recipe, and would
ask them TO (" try IT.:
Knead sage finely powdered and well
sifted in equal quantities OF milk and
water-or all milk if you choose-and
add enough salt to impart to it ilne
SAVIOR. Form the mass into cakes or DIS
cults of about the size of bakers snap.
Have your oven well heated and test II
by sprinkhng sage powder on the bot
tom Of the oven. If the powder browns
at once the oven is too hot; but If the
powder browns gradually and emlts q
delicious flavor it is just what is needed
Lay the cakes on the bottom OF the oven
do not, say, make use of a baking.
finland allow them to remain about ilve
minutes. When done" serve the cakes
hot with butter and sugar.
If possible il is best to obtain theraW
sago for this purpose, because 1t possesses
a Characteristic flavor which is almos'
entirely lost in the so-called "renned
sage done over in America.
know of certain housewife VINO mas
tried the foregoing experiment with re.
markable success, and now one OF the
delicacies at her morning table is sage
biscuits.
Sage biscuit is an admirable substitute
for sailors bread. If the former is no.
required for immediate use, they can n %
dried in the sun and laid away, and VII
preserve their good qualities unimpaireo