Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1902-12-05
WHAT CASSAVA DOES.
Yields Twice the Starch of Potatoes.
Makes Better Beef Than Corn.

Makes Better Beef Than Corn.
Cassava is not perhaps more sensi-
tive to frost than the potato; but, being
in its native habitat perennial it ac-
ceptS the cold, dark Imprisonment Of
winter, which the potato readily I'M
dergoes, with very bad grace. The
potato in northern climates goes to
sleep and is tucked away for winter
without particle of air, but the cas-
sava seed, pieces of cane, must have
its head out-must have air. If COW
cred up in a clamp, it would rot out
right. The pieces must be set Il little
slanting Oh raised, well drained bed.
thrust down into the loose soil nearly
to the top and the upper inch or two
protected with mulching. The mulch
ing should be sprinkled occasionally to
prevent dry rot or sheer drying out.
On the other hand, if it rains too heav-
lily it may mold.
Some growers plant the seed canes in
the fall and cover lightly. On light.
dry lands this practice is safe, but not
on fatwoods. On account of it's I'M
doubted great value as q stock feed
stuff it would probably, pay to have
seed beds and fill up vacancies in the
field with transpIanted slips, like those
OF sweet potatoes. 1t needs fat cul-
ture and very shallow, the tubers run
so close to the surface. At first the
digging was a conundrum, the roots
are SO long and so brittle Some geu-
ius took light crowbar, thrust it I'M
der the center and gently lifted. The
tough strings pulled nearly all the
tubers to the surface without breaking
off the ends. This is the most APP
proved plan, and hogs fenced tempo
rarily on the piece will save the
cracked off remnants.
With q full stand secured it will pro-
duce % per cent more than sweet po-
tatoes, with less labor and fertilizer.
and, pound for pound, it will, when
given to cows, yield 20 to % per cent
more milk. This is my personal OBJ
servation. In feeding value it is
counted equal to one-fourth its weight
in corn. On thin, sandy lands. which
would not produce over ten bushels of
corn per acre without fertilizer, cassava
will yield from two to four tons-say.
an equivalent of twenty-five bushels of
cortland it makes better beef than
corn, as juicy and tender as English
turnip fed mutton.
There are three cassava starch fac
tories in Florida. all Of them success
full in making a beautiful article, which
meets q quick demand Their trouble
so far has been less on the manufac-
turing side than on the agricultural
side. To get a stand in their own
plantations and to get the farmers to
grow it in quantities have been the rub.
Farmers in a state where men make
5000 to $500 per acre on truck-once in
awhile-dislike to bend their necks to
the yoke at $10 to $50 per acre. Cas-
sava yields nearly double the percent
age of starch obtained from an equal
weight of potatoes in Aroostook coun-
ty, Me. At four tons per acre and
corn at 40 bushels, the cassava will
produce LOGO pounds of starch and
corn 1,40O, but land that will yield
forty bushels of corn will turn out
seven or eight tons Of cassava.
So 1 think there is no good reason
why cassava should not be a success
eventually, when the farmers shall
have become trained to raise it's.
Powers, Florida, in Country Gentle.
man.