The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-02-22


The mode of cultivation is as follows:
The ground is plowed in ridges of about
forty-six feet wide, and thoroughly har-
rowed and scarifed. Nine rows are placed
in this five feet apart, leaving six for the
row in which the by-furrow comes. Shall
low burrows, five inches deep, are run
with the pillow, then the smaller bulbs,
about the size of q small apple, which
are found growing at the bottom OF the
stems, are placed four feet six inches
apart in the drill, and covered by turn
ing furrow from each side on to the top
of the bulbs. Afterward, cultivation is
carried on by keeping the ground clear
of weeds by means of horse hoes or scuff-
lers. When the plant reaches the height
of about three feet, the space between the
rows is turned up with a one horse pillow,
the soil thrown toward the plant, and a
furrow left in the middle. 1t requires
nothing further until it is dug up for the
mill. When the tubers have come to ma
turity, which is generally in ten months Or
year, the crop is ready. The stalks OF
the plant are then cut off as close as pos
sible to the tubers with cane knife or a
strong reaping hook. The tubers are
then raised with grubbing hoe or mat
took. With all speed they are placed in
carts and conveyed to the mill, for the
color is seriously affected by being ex-
posed to the sun or weather before grind
ing. Sometimes as much as fifty pounds
of tubers are obtained from one plant.
The machinery consists Of six horse
power engine, root washer, grinding
mill, cylinder sleeves for separating the
iarina from the fiber and pulp, and cen
trifugal for drying. The root washer is a
trough ten feet long, three feet deep, and
two feet in diameter. This has a half cir
cular bottom, through which a stream
of water is constantly running. A spin
die, having pegs about four inches apart
and OF a sufficient length to reach within
an inch Of the bottom and sides, revolves
in the trough. Thepegs cleanse The bulbs
of alldirt, and they gradually work down
to one end of the trough. A wooden rake
pushes the bulbs out into continuous
belt elevator, and thence they are con-
veyed to the hopper OF the mill. This is
wooden drum two feet six inches on the
face and two feet in diameter. It is COW
cred with a sheet of galvanized iron,
punched and tlaced on with the burr on
the outside. The drum revolves at great
speed, and stream of water falls on it
from tanks fixed above. Thus the bulbs
are grated up, the bulbs aud the water
passing through the sieve No. i, which is
cylinder eight feet long with the bot
tom half perforated with holes about the
size of a No. wire nail. Within this a
beater revolves, forcing the water and
farina through the holes, and being placed
on screw the pulp and fibre are forced
out at the end. The farina and water
pass into sieve No. 2, which is similar to
No. 1, only with holes about the size of
q large pin head in the bottom OF copper.
After this the liquid runs along a trough
two feet wide, six inches deep and seventy
feet long. The farina is deposited at the
bottom OF this, and the water passes off.
The farina is now dug out and passed
through sundry more sieves, washed by
l. H11h ", La 49,