The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-22
A NEW POOP PLANT.
Facts About the Sweet Cassava
which Flourishes I'm Florida.

safueu ana FOREST
OF recent additions TO the food
plants of this country perhaps none
deserves as much notice as the Sweet
Cassava tAaaiaef Aipi(. IL seems to
have been proved beyond question
that on the southern border of the
United States there are considerable
areas admirably adapted 10 growing
this remarkable plant as a staple arti-
Gle OF home consumption, while in
Florida, at least, its manufacture into
starch. tapiocs and glucose ought to
become leading industry.
The eassava plant Is closely related
TO the ricinus or castor bean, which it
resembles in general appearance. Ii
is handsomer plant, not having the
coarse. rank aspect Of rieinns. Ii does
not bear much seed, aud it is not prop
agated from seed, but from cuttings OF
the larger stems.
Before it is time for frost the stems
that are half an inch or more In thick
ness should be cut, laid IN piles, and
covered with earth, Ii Is said. also,
that the stems may be kent where
they viii become quite dry without
l1afig their vitality impaired. When
ready for planting, in January, Feb
ruary or March, the stems are cut IN
pieces about six inches long. These
are planted four or five feet apart and
three or four inches deep. The crop
receives shallow culture TIL sufficiently
grown 10 shade the ground and hold
its own against weeds. Ii may be
left To grow for two years With advan-
tage, thus requiring minimum
amount Of culture. The roots should
be dug only as wanted for use, as
they decay soon after being exposed
20 the air. Eassasa requires mellow.
well-drained land. and responds
readily TO manuring. Florida's sand
hills seem to be specially adapted to
this crop.
As to the quantity of cassaya root
that may be obtained from an acre of
ground, no satisfactory estimates have
as yet been made. II must vary
greatly under various conditions. 4
single plant grown In Polk county
produced fifty pounds of roots, the top
measuring eight feet in height and ten
feet In breadth. 1t had been highly
MANFRED. 4 person who has given
special attention to the cassaya thinks
that from ten to fifty tons of roots of
one years growth ought to be OBJ
tanned from an acre of land, according
TO its quality. This is little better than
conjecture, but certainly the plant
yields enormously under favorable
conditions.
The uses TO which eassaya may he
put are almost too numerous 10 mem
iion. by manufacture il may be con-
yerted, with scarcely any waste, into
starch, tapioea and glucose. In the
tropics casSaya -four is used extern
siyely for making large wafer or
crasker, which Is quite palatahle. and
keeps without injury for months.
Florida housewives have used il for
making bread, puddings. custards.
fritters, etc; also as a vegetable il is
used in all ways in which Irish posa-
toes are used.
IL il as food for stock, however, that
eassaya has excited NEST interest It
Is greatly relished by cattle. horses,
hogs and poultry. and seems 10 be
very wholesome article of food. The
great tnhers. sometimes three or four
feet in length. may he taken from the
ground ~ any time Of the year and
used rs food tor man or beast