The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1902-06-27
TO UTILIZE ARID LANDS
PACKERS TO RAISE CATTLE IN
FLORIDA.
Gigantic Scheme That Will Probably
Revolutionize the Cattle Raising
Industry-Thousands of Acres to
be Cultivated With Cassava Root
Experiment VIII Show Value of
the New Fattening Product

the new tatten1ng roduc
Chicago, June 23.-Plans that we're
first taken into consideration about q
year ago have been developing in the
last few months to the point where
Swift &C. Co.. and others of the great
packing establishments in Chicago
have begun experiments on what may
prove a revolution of the cattle indus
try of the country. The project in
wolves the settlement of several hun
dred thousand acres of what is at pres
n nearly valueless land in northern
and northwestern Florida and southern
Alabama, the cultivation on a large
scale OF the cassava root, and its use
in feeding cattle and hogs, If the plan
develops as it is now in the minds of
the leading packers, the Southern
states will become the center of the
c~attle-raislng industry.
The cassava root was originally a
product OF South America. Its value as
a fod product was long ago discovered
by the natives, who made from 1t tapi.
oca. However, 1t was only recently
that the adaptibility of the plant to
Florida soil was discovered and the
great value of 1t as food for cattle and
hogs was demonstrated. Recently the
agricultural colleges in the South took
for cattle and hogs was demonstrated.
Recently the agricultural colleges in
the South took VI the study Of the DOT
and declared 1t to possess wonderful
properties as a food for animals and
men.
When the possibilities of the cassava
became known to some of the promi-
nent men Of the South it was proposed
to develop what are at present unoccu-
pied and practically waste tracts of
land. Consequently a committee was
formed. which. in conjunction with Of
ficials Of the Louisville & Nashville
road. who are interested in booming
the lands along their right of way, en-
tered into negotiations with the Chi
cago packers as the center Of the cattle
business of the country.
Preliminary correspondence was car
ried on for some time. and reports and
Investigations made. A few weeks
ago the committee had an audience
with the packers in Chicago, and it is
believed that the big concerns, partic-
ularly Swift & Co., were so impressed
with the representations made that it
was determined to begin a test of the
plans.
1t was reported to the packers that
fully 1000. 900 acres of land, We're
available for the project, much of It be-
longing to the government and open
for settlement free, under the home
stead law. The experiments that were
under taken are said to have shown
that an acre of this land would pro-
ducs twenty tons of cassava to a crop,
which in turn would yield about 5000
pounds Of starchy material. Corn pro-
duces about 1000 pounds of starch to
the acre, or just one-half the cassava
crop, and it is said to cost much more
to grow than caSsava. Furthermore,
the corn crops frequently fail from
crimatic conditions, while the cassava
crop is SAIL to be practically certain.
year in and year u
Experiments made with cattle fed on
cassava are said to have shown a great
advantage in it over corr or grass feed.
Live beef costs only IL cents a pound
to fatten by c~assava, against several
cents a pound by present methods
H.. e. Stockbridge, a prominent agri-
%culturist Of the South, made the state
ment: "Cassava is distinctly a starch
forming fat and heat-forming foods for
all classes of animals, human beings
included. Its chief value lies in the
c%heapness with which fat-forming ma
terial can be produced"
1t appears, from the representations
made by the Southerners, that ex-
periments are also going on for the
manufacture of starch and starch pro-
ducts from cassava instead of corn and
potatoes, at present. 1t was point
ed out by them mat about twice as
much starch to the acre could be grown
through cassava than corn, and three
times as much as by potatoes 1t is
hoped by them that the demonstration
will be made SO clearly as to carry with
1t a revolution of the starch-making
industry.
1t is stated that arrangements are
now being made for the accommoda-
ton of a considerable number of cattle
to be shipped from the stock yards here
to northern Florida, to be fed on cas-
sava root. The results of the fatten-
ing process will be compared with sim
liar work In the West, regarding which
the conditions and cost are already
definitely known. The result obtained
will determine the future of the cas-