The Republican journal., 1892-07-14

soli,litied, is beaten fine in mortars, and
then transferred to open ovens or concave
plates, heated beneath, and stirred con-
stantly until thoroughly dry. When
properly prepared the farina is very white
and beautiful in coarse particles which,
subjected to a second pulverizing process,
become the .'arrow- root of commerce.
The poisonous juice is carefully pre-
served in watts, where it deposits a fine
sediment after standing few hours: and
this snow white substance is not only
harmless but very nutrtious-the tapioca,
so well known in the culinary line all over
the civilized world. one of Brazil impor-
tant articles of export.
The early Indians believed that the
operation of preparing it was very I'M
healthy, and therefore the work was con
fined to the old women of each tribe
(mothers-in-la law and others whose lives
We're considered of little yalue), who for
titled themselves with various charms and
incantations, and every day before begin
ming. ate the flower Of the rehambi and
the root of the ceruca. Ito strengthen the
heart and stomach The Portuguese who
came afterwards relocated the work most
| ly to slaves. in buildings erected on pur-
pose. where it was least likely to occasion
poisonous Juice. if allowed to stand few
days, generates small white insect which
in itself is even more deadly, and from
time immemorial has been made medium
of murder, by putting it into food-jeal-
Gus lovers thus disposing of their sweet
hearts, wives of their husbands, servants
of their masters: and many a refractory
slave has been made an example of, to
the terror of his companions, by being
compelled to drink a portion of mandioca
juice in public where his dying agonies
might be witnessed.
| ought to have mentioned before that
there is one variety of mandioca, mot the
most common kind, however, which con-
tains no poisonous substance. 1t is the
sweet cassava or yucca, called ''apim.
Cnanihot 1ipin). whose roots are eaten
raw, boiled or roasted and are but little
inferior to the South American potato
(Which. by the way. is not at all like the
cultivated potato. which has been evolved
from it in other countries). similar in
taste to the large Italian chestnut 1t has
the further advantage of requiring only
eight months to ripen instead Of eighteen
OF twenty but it cannot be converted into
farna or tapioca and is worthless as an
article Of commerce. 50. if tradition be
+ true. it must have been the sweet caSSava
| that sprang from Mani $ grave.
Though often experimental upon. no
means has ever been devised for preserv-
ing the crude root more than twenty four
hours: and the slightest moisture spoils
the flour. Those who depend upon it for
their chief food-supply. manage to keep
it from harvest to harvest by slcing the
roots under water and drying them hard
as rocks before a fire. When required fol
use. they are grated to fine powder. which.
/ being beaten with water. looks like cream
of almonds. Another way is to macerate
/ the ROOTS until they become as putrid as
prime Dutch cheese. then hang it mp t.
be smoke dried: and this when pounded
in a mortar makes the Very whitest and
most delicate farna.
| Mandioca also supplies 4 drink. which
I historians tell us was in high favor among
| the savages at the time OF their discovery
by the Portuguese. and is still in universal
Use among the Indians. Ii You ever have
an opportunity of tasting it, you Will thank
me Tor telling you how it is made. This
is the recipe Slice the roots. boil them
till soft and set aside to cool. Then let
somebody chew them. mouthful by mouth
full. returning the ma>ticated cutis to the
vessel. Then ill the iar full Of water and
! boil several hours. stirring constantly.
Then pom the liquid OF into another ial.
which must be buried up to its middle. in
the dirt floor Of the family habitation
! N'itIN, tlcStIN toNtlctl- II VIII ltlliltII III
| two OF three days. When required fol
use a fire is built around it, and the bey-
erage is served steamin9 hot. There is a
superstition that ii men have anything to
do about it, the drink will not only be
worthless, but collie provoking; therefore
the chewing is always done by women.
De Lery says that the aborigines were
great drunkards on mandioca 1t was the
| custom for all the men of the tribe to as
semble, at least once Il month, and 90 from
house to house. singing and dancing upt 0
! the foaming jars to receive a warm gourtl-
full, served by the women; and that they
kept it up as long as a drop remained in
the village, hardly recovering from one
debauch before it was time for the next
one.
Mandioca has medicinal virtues too. A
poultice of it, moistened in its own Juice
is considered a panacea for imposthumes
A drop OF two of the poison is administer
ed for tape worms; and applied to old
wounds will eat away the gangrened flesh
For certain poisons, and for snake bites,
; it is said to be an unfailing antdote: and
the pure juice is used for cleaning rusty
steel and iron. FANNIE B. WARD
Transfers in Real Estate.
The following are the transfers III real es-