The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-04-02
Starch Producing Plants.
CULTURE IN NATAL"

| I III IN AZ A@A''
The cultivation and manufacture of
arrowroot has been very largely car
ried on in Natal for many years. 1t
was a great favorite with early colo
nists, because it grows readily on
coast lands unsuited for sugar and
coffee. It's cultivation requires only
a moderate capital, and yields quick
and good returns. The root may tie
grown many wears in succession in
the same ground. =,
The land to be planted is we'll
plowed and broken up at the COM
mencement OF the rains: old ground
is better than new, The sets are
taken from old stools, planted thick
| " in simple pillow furrow, and COW
cred over with earth turned out OF a
parallel furrow.
A sort of nursery is formed In
this way In October and Novem-
Der the shoots are planted out in
holes made about IL or IA inches
apart the shoot is placed in the hole,
set upright and pressed round with
earth. Ten men, working methc di-
cally in gangs, can plant an acre in
day. The only care needed is
to keep the ground between the
plants free from weeds by hand hoe
ing. The soil best adapted for The
cultivation should be fairly good, but
light. Old bush or forest land is
generally very excellent; stony and
heavy soils are unsuitable, because
the tubers are apt to get clogged in
it; their growth is stunted, and 1t IS
very difficult to dig them up.
The crop is known to be ripe when
the leaves fade; at that time the
tubers and offsets are densely filled
with starch, and ready to be taken
from the ground for manufacture.
They are dug up and turned over
with a fork. while pickers follow and
rDuIbs and collect them in basket
one forker keeps four pickers en-
ployed, and one picker can deal with
from 25O lbs. to 800 lbs. of tubers in
a day.
About 10 acres should be cultiva.
ted the first year, and by the time
the product is harvested there ought
to be 20 acres OF ground broken up,
ready for planting, and calculated to |
yield a double income In the follow |
ing years, with decreasing expendi-
ture.
The manufacture requires care
rather than skill, and the crop is less
affected by vicissitudes of weather
tnan almost any other that can be
produced. The mandatory build.
lngs may be of the simplest descrip-
5ion, all that is required being free
ventilation and protection from wet.
The abundant water power of the
colony affords ready means of work
ng the machinery. A water.wheel
II tour-horse power is sufficient to
manufacture from 4 cwts. to cwts. of
tarch per day. Fifteen Kafir labor
RS suffice for the management of IS
ores OF plantation. AS drawback / \
n the other hand, the market for the
arch is very uncertain and apt to
e easily overstocked; and the starch
self is so delicate in quality, that it
very liable to deteriorate and be. al
'me damaged, even after it has W
zen packed and shipped. The th
'eatest cleanliness is required in its tn
eparation. va
In the process of manufacture the tn
bers are pressed against a revolv. oS
cylinder OF rough tin (resemblino on
nutmeg grater) and the raspincs all
then subjected to repeated wash. mt
rs; the fibrous refuse rises to tho VII
face and is skinned away, while an
pure starch settles into white aw
tie, which is dried on calico travs lac
n broken into Jumps, and packed I'll
boxes for market. nul
during the manufacture four hands a oTt
needed in the drying house and ~b
&c in the grinding house. The hr
,wroot should be quite cold and be s
iy to pack OIL the fifth day. AS not not
eadily contracts moisture from n 1no'
atmosphere, it must not ha t d"a
Ied in damp weather, and It e .1-s-
I'D never be forgotten that the
IN is apt to deteriorate in taste O.
t oOi"a II tLa nep. IN proximity to paid
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