Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-07
Lumber Trade Journal.


A little less than a year ago the Journal
published an illustrated article on the his
tory of the Southern states Lumber COM
pany, of Pensacola. Fla. headed, What
May Be Done with Denuded Timber
Lands?" Commenting on this question
The Journal then said:
The problem of what use can probably
be made of eut-over southern pine lands
An empire of real estate-is an interest
ing one. As time passes this problem
will grow in material Importance and
meanwhile will have engaged the atten-
ton of all owners Of southern timber
lands.
Exactly what these lands will produce to
the best advantage, agricultrally, is at
this period an undetermined question. 1t
is, however, rather more than probable
that live stock raising will be one among
perhaps a number of feasible uses. That
denuded pine lands will produce hay and
perhaps other kinds of forage on pay
ing basis, is tolerably certain. The man
or concern, however, who shall take the
lead in this field and by his or its exam
pie, successfully demonstrate the most
profitable use to which southern timber
lands may permanently be devoted, will
have earned the distinction of public
benefactor. A recent visit by the
editor of The Journal to western Florida
developed the fact that certain expert
ments in point had already been inaugu-
rated in tina section.
Philip X. Yonge, manager of the South
ern States Lumber company, Is strongly
of the opinion that cut-over lands can be
utilized on this and other lines in a man
ner to add millions upon millions OF dol
lars to values otherwise nominal, etc.
A contemporary recently printed an ar
ticle headed, New Agricultural Pos
sibilities-Cassava," in which the writer
traverses somewhat the same ground
previously gone over by The Journal with
the result that a solution of the main ques-
ton is assumed to have been found in the
cultivation of cassava, described in this
wise:
"Cassava is in reality an old friend un
der a new name. Indigenous to tropical
lands, the Manihat utillisima has long
been an important food supply for the ma
lions in many countries, while In the form
of tapioca it possesses virtues with Whlcn
few kitchens in civilization are unfamil-
lar. In it's native home the skin is poison
Gus. but happily this factor is eliminated,
both by exposure to the air and by cook
ing Many years ago, the parent plant was
TRANSPORTED to the West Indies, and
thence to Florida, where ii not only throve
amazingly, but entirely lost its poison
Gus attributes in the migration, Cassava
is essentially a long-season plant, requir-
ing about seven months to come to full
maturity, and therefore is not to be sue
cessfuIly cultivated much above the north
line of Florida 1t will, in its native habi-
tat, along the equatorial line in South
America and Africa, produce seed, but in
sub-tropical countries is propagated by
the stalk, or cane, as is sugar cane.
According to Prof. H. r. Stockbridge,
of the United States Florida experiment
station, the average yield of cassava per
acre is eight tons of roots-the only edi-
BILE part. AS it thrives best on light, sandy
soil such as abounds in the regions nam
ed-soil which has heretofore been res
garded as of little value; as It carries q
per cent of starch; as ii is eaten greedily
by cattle, sheep and hogs, and so, aside
from its value as a producer of starch,
offers an article superior to corn, acre for
acre, and as it is quite as easily cIfltiva-
ted as corn; and as 1t can be left in the
ground all winter to be gathered for cat
tie and sheep as required, il obviously
follows that its Importance is great.
Cassava is a many-branched shrub, OF
luxuriant growth with dark green, pal
mately divided leaves and reddish-colored
stems and the thrifty plants attain a
height of five or six feet. The roots. or I'M
derground stems, are from one to three
inches in diameter and from one to three
feet in length at seven months growth.
They consist of a solid white tissue hard
er and dryer than potatoes. 1t withstands
drought well. but is exceedingly sensitive
TO frost. 1t produces well with only mod
crate applications of fertilizers, and in
experiments made at the Florida station
the best results were obtained by the ap-
plication of 62 1-2 pounds of acid phos-
phate, $50 pounds Of eottonseed meal ana