The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-25
CassaYa q Valuable Crop.

Editor Morning NelUs: take much
pleasure in answering your correspondents
IF. E. Timmons of South Newport, Ga,),
inquiry about cassava.
A few years ago had some correspond
ence on the subject with the United States
consul of Nassau, and was informed that
cavassa is cultivated there extensively by
the negroes, but in small patches, for food,
cassava bread, cakes, etc., and is also ground
for feed for cattle.
The United States consul at Cayenne also
informed me that at Martinique, Guade-
loupe and many other islands cassava is
raised extensively for food for man and
beast.
About five years ago some experiments
In raising cassava were made at Orlando,
Fla, principally for starch purposes. Dur
ing my stay there l was informed that the
climate was very suitable to the plant,
whose luxurious growth had attracted the
admiration of all who saw it. The expert
ments, however, were abandoned in favor
of real estate operations, which promised to
be more profitable.
Nv opinion is that cassava will grow
well wherever sugar cane does The yield
per acre may exceed much that Of the
sweet potatoes, provided the ground be rich
and the work done intelligently.
Cassava does not grow from seed, but
from the stalk, like sugar cane. 1t needs
loose, sandy, but rich soil. and thorough cul-
tivation. The crops being rather exhaust
ing, the soil should be kept properly fertil-
lied, with fertilizers such as are used for
sugar cane. Stable manure or wel-rotted
cotton seed will answer the purpose very
well. The ground should be prepared as for
sugar cane, making rows four TO five feet
apart, and planting foot of sound cas- ava
stalk every fourth foot in the row. Stalks
should be sound and the eyes on them green,
otherwise, labor will go for nothing. In
this latitude planting should be made early
in March, same as for sugar cane. The
ground should be kept clear and well stirred
up, but care must be taken not to pillow too
late, or deep, in order not to disturb the
roots of the plants, and allow them time
and space to spread.
In the fall, the stalks are ready to be cut
Just before frost, and those needed for seed
should be protected from freezing, just as
is done with stalks of sugar cane. The
stubble also should be protected from frost,
as sugar cane stu bible is.
The second year the roots or tubers will
grow from one, two to three feet long, ac-
cording to the richness Of the soil, and from
two to four inches in diameter. Then they
are dug out as needed.
CasSava is said to possess a very rich
flavor, and in many sections of the farther
south it is used as substitute for flour,
mixed with wheat -four for bread, etc.
l trust some intelligent and enterprising
farmers of the many we have in this state
will make thorough experiment with
cassava, ard report results through the
MORNING NEWS.
| firmly believe that the farmers of the
south do not begin to appreciate the value,
as crop, of the sweet potato, the Jerusa-
lem or Brazilian artichoke and cassava.
They can be raised much easie. than corn,
while their yield is simply immense
Permit me to repeat that the sooner the
planters abandon the one-crop idea, the bet
ter it will be for them. 1t is only by di-
versifying his crops, by studying carefully
the requirements of his soil, aud iudiciuuSly
supplying the needed Ingredients, by aban-
doning the hapnazard guess work, and GO
as-you-please methods, Dy believing and
working on scientific principles, that the
farmer will work out his salvation, and re-
place poverty with aff1uonce and also con-
tribute toward the prosperity of the state,
and the happiness of contentment of its peo-
pie.
The condition of the farmers who began
70 work upon the new progressive system,
by taking care of their lands, and making
home composts for fertilizers, raising their
own stock, and all food for man and beast,
is improving very rapidly, and let us hope
1t will serve as stimulus to encourage
others to do likewise.
FEB. 20, 1889. c. MENELAS.