The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-04-12
The Cassava.
rom the Bartooc Informant

The article known in the CONNER
cial world as glucose, and so extern
sively used in adulterating sugars and
in the manufacture of candies, syrups,
jellies, and all similar things, has
heretofore been made from grapes
and corn, but mostly from the latter,
taking many millions of bushels per
annum, one establishment using A.
100000 of bushels year. BY re.
cent experiments and the fullest test,
it is shown that cassava contains a
greater quantity to the ton than any
thing else, and that, according to
price, it can be more cheaply made
from these roots than otherwise, and
at the same time utilize the starch :;
and still farther, the residuum will
make the tapioca of the market.
The poorest sands of Florida will
produce the cassava in large quanti~
ties, and there can be but little doubt
that the much despised and neglect.
ed tiat-woods and palmetto flats
will produce from Is to 40 tons to
the acre, with very light cultivation.
And as the consumption of glucose
now in its infancy, reaches about
100000 tons, and starch perhaps
three times as much, and if cheap.
ened so as to be accessible, tapioca
may likewise grow in public favor,
then what may the prosperity of
Florida be made by this plant alone?
tor no other section can compete with
her in the quantity or quality OF this
product. The relative product of
glucose is about as follows one
bushel OF corn-56 pounds,-pro
duces 30 pounds glucose; one bushel
of cassava-same weight-produces
say only so pounds. Then one acre
oil land in the northwest produces on
an average IS bushels, or about one
ton of grain; good average land in
| Florida will produce 40 tons of cas-
sava, or about 400 bushels. One
acres product OF corn will produce
1000 poands glucose; one acre OF
cassava will produce $4,000 pounds {;
or ii the product is reduced to the
poorest land product of 800 bushels
OF roots, then "a, 900 pounds of glu-
cose is produced and the profit on
its manufacture is fully one cent per
pound, and the tubers are worth
about 40 cents per bushel, or from
$500 to 5000 per acre.
1t is generally asserted that 40
tons to the acre may be averaged,
and we have recently seen a states
ment going the rounds of the press,
saying that 60 tons to the acre is
made on Indian river. Now, if these
statements are true, how far ahead
of orange growing and everv thing
else is this neglected root crop! We
have 10 reason to doubt them, for
the potato and tomato are new adj
ditions to the food crop, and see how
impossible it is to supply the demand
for them.
Polk county contains nearly 1000
square miles; and OF that area fully
1000 square miles will produce cas-.
sava. At this rate, GAO 900 acres
would produce 100000 tons, Or
about 500,000,000 bushels, of the tu~
bers annually; and these at 20 cents
per bushel, would yield $l00,G00,O00
nearly the assessed real estate value
Of the whole State.
There is another feature of this
crop that enhances the value above
all other products, and that is that 1t
has no fixed season for harvest it
will continue to grow for two years
or more, and may be dug any day
out Of the 365 of the year, and the
stalks set out for another crop. Tu.
bers have been found weighing over
80 pounds, and it is doubtful if the
full growth is attained under two
years, though it may be used at six
months from the setting. Corn, or
anges, vegetables, all have their har-
vest season, and must be taken then
or lost Not so with cassava, it is
always ready ard needs so little cul.
tivatlon that il is believed that one
hand and good team may cultivate
70 acres; and the harvesting is not SO
tedious, as it may be gathered like
wood, and hauled CT shipped in bulk
without damage.
When we consider that there are
firms who use $l,000,000 worth Of
glucose a year, and that resources