The Opelousas courier., 1886-11-20
Chufas.
A FooD FOR HOGS AND PouLTRY-CUL
TIvATIoE AND YIELD PER ACRE.

@ =
Although Chufas have been cultiyat-
I'd for years In the older States, and
have held high place ilnloug HE sta.
pie articles of food raised fo, swiHeand
poultry, yet in Louisiana, particularly
in onr section Of the Stat,, we helieve
that hut little attention has eve, been
given to tho cultivation of these liighly
nutritious and prelific tubers of ground
ynuts. From tIieir resemblance in apt
pearance and i'll their growth to that
great pest, Coco grass, a great many
planters have been afraid To introduce
them on Their farms, thinking that they
could not be eradicated when once
planted, aud would, in IL few years,
spread over the entire farm. A greater
error than this never existed. Like
the peanut the chufa is of artificial
growth, the nuts being near the surface,
and requires annual cultivation to
make them propagate and produce Il
crop Hogs are so fond of them that
when turned in on the chnfa patch they
will not leave Ii nut in the ground
The chnfa is richer in taste and nntrl-
tion than the sweet potato, peanut, or
-
When dried it has "a taste very nuch
like the cocoa nut, only mere delicate
and pleasant TO the palate. Although
not set down as a food for human kind,
yet everyone finds them delicious and
are fond Of eating them Phey make
excellent s'pralines" and doubtless
would lie fine condiment to use in
making rich cehfectiops. However,
we are now only discussing their mer-
its as side crop for hogs aud fowls,
which will generously reward those
1 who plant them. II il cla,med that
cl.ufas will produce. oll good land prop
ely cultivated, from $50 te 200 bush
els i.ss acre, aud in piic ilsstaice he
writer read Il statement where 3Oa
/ bushels were gathered ftam Il siugle
acte Fsaa our limited experience in
: planting 'l,em we do moi discs edit any
Il of these estimates Sci, lis II MATTER ui
course, everything dFtands uroi' the
srepai ;ltip,a ard cnlfisasianof the sali
HE width of the row. and in having !
regulal stand of the planfs. First
break up your land deep. with 'oWs
three feet apart, and harrow until the
ss,ni il thoroughly pnlverizea. Second
open II furfow isl,ent FIVE inches deep
drop the tnbers or nuts about elgsi
I inches apart and cover with light laalt
row 40 as to leave about two inches q
/ dirt 40 the nuts. From eiteI, nut iron
4 a dozen To twenty five spires will shoot
out, resembling at first coco grass s'it'
when other grass or weeds hegin TO ap
near, lar e,ff the soil from iIie pianti
with tuning ntow just ;,s yen wcult
coin o, cotton Hoe out the plant
clean aud then throw tllt dirt bacl
with solid sweep. Let tile land stant
III This cartiion for few days ,nHi
grass hegits to appear, then burst on
thv middles with solid sweeps A
ellnias grow very fast a second ploWin
with The SWEEP, will be sufficient 4
make ;l,e.n bear abnDdantly. Tht.
sloui.. Ii. planted from the lst to @
q 18th .i,,s nf April, and arc ready to y
Y harvested Id 0ciober. When You gath
Eer them son will find tho rows y soli
mass of nuts. Dig what Won want fl
seed and for poultry. and turn sou
hogs oa the patch All. acre o. "
will fatten d number Of hogs and pom
try and give yon 'ich AMI juicy flesh I
eat for yanr trouble.