The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-04-26
DeIand volusa County, Forida Wednesday, April &c. 1882

short cuts may be dropped in holes
three inches deeD and the longer
ones inserted in holes made by plung-
ing spade in the ground and then
withdrawing it. 1t is desirable not
to have cuttings reach over six inch
es toward the subsoil, for the starch
is generally deposited arouLd the
lowest set of roots; therefore in rails
ing long cuttings, they may be inser-
ted obliquely. The "stumps" a. e. al!
the underground part Of cassava
plant with the roots cut off are the
most reliable ''seed" from which to
raise crop. Immature stalks are
hard to keep either buried or out of
ground. In one case they rot, and in
the other dry out. The pared or
scraped root may be grated and
mixed with as much corn meal as one
can possibly mix with it, and yet have
it damp enough to make bread (say
about oneSthird meal by weight),
then baked in a slow oven, and it
makes the poor mans bread, and a
very delicious bread it is. Cut into
thin slices and stewed as one does
Irish potatoes, (only longer) and then
thickened with little -four and a
trife of fat meat frylngs turned in,
and we have dish OF great excel
lence to accompany the bread and
take the place of butter, etc.
Fuller information was given some
two or three months ago in the COLI
umns of this paper as to methods of
culture; simply keep it clean for q
few months, and then it will care for
itself. Plant one cut in hill say,
rows three and half to four feet
apart, hills two TO three teet apart in
row. | have heard that it could be
used at any time of season, but have
no experience on that point. If
planted in February, the strongest
plants may do to "pnll" in August or
September, but the stalks will be
hard to keep for cuttings until next
planting time. So far as I know, it
is not grown north of Southern
Georgia.
GRASSES.
| can learn OF no trials of tim
othy, blue grass, or red clover.
Alfalfa, I hear, dies out during our
"ralny seaaon," commencing May,
June, or July, and ending August,
September, or October). Bermuda
grass Slightly resembling the variety
of buffalo grass which spreads by
"runners" like a strawberry on fair
land, will make nice pasture.
Stock are exceedingly fond OF it. But
on poor land it don't produce enough
forage to make it pay. 1t blooms,
but produces no seed. We have TWO
varieties distinct botanically and in
general appearance. The fine Ber
muda is nice lawn grass but has an
annoying habit when it comes to an
extra rich spot, of sending its runners
beneath the surface now, if this erich
spot" happens to be a small flower
bed cut in the lawn, tbe lover of
flowers might as well retreat at once
from an endeavor to have flowers on
that bed, tor even more than "eter>
nal vigllence" will be the "price"
paid for what he may obtain. On
my six feet width of path leading
from house to lake, have this grass.
The ordinary poverty ofsoil with the
tramping, so dwarfs it that it is only
aoout hall an inch high, simply holds
the sand together making nice green
solid path, even in dryest weather;
but on each side l have row of ban.
anas some three feet from the path,
these we had tertilized each with a
circle OF "cow-chips" dug in. Dur
ing the busy stage Of pioneering
our first year, we neglected to cons
troll the edge of our path, and the
grass got a foot hold among these
"chips' and we have had hard bat.
tie to save our bananas, and in the
digging around the plants after these
under ground runners, the roots of
the former have been so mutilated
that they have been set back at least
six months. If any reader is having
a similar trial, would say, take it on