The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-07

be done.
Planting and cultiva ton. The seed
begins TO sprout and grow with the ad-
vent Of warm weather and must be
planted before it loses it vitality in
this way. This will usually occur in
March. The seed canes are cut into
sections about four inches in length,
which is best affected by means OF
sharp knives, or, best of all, pruning
shears. by which the most rapid and
best work is effected. The rows should
be laid off four feet apart and seed
dropped four feet apart.
The piece must be drOpepd in the fur
row by hand; where the check system
is followed, the intersection of the fur
rows mark the places for dropping.
The most satisfactory results are Sc
cured by dropping two pieces in a
place, and the workman by stepping on
the dropepd pieces. facilitates their
subsequent covering. The covering is
easily accomplished by the turn pillow,
or best by the cultivator with all the
teeth removed except the rear teeth on
each side, which should be shovels, and
set as cloAely together as possible. An
implement producing similar results is
easily provised with a pair of bull
tongues and common Dixie pillow
stock. These teeth should be made
to straddle the row and throw the soil
~ 'cii "a GciNti OAltCis mus perfectly Hil-
ing the furroW and covering the cane
seeds lying therein. The seasons cul-
tivation and working of the cassava
crop is simple. The first cultivation
may be deep and with a pillow if pre-
ferred. After cultivation must be
shallow, and with a cultivator or wide
sweep. In either case the implement
should be run as near the surface as
possible, both because of effect on soil
moisture and because many of the
roots grow horizontally and very close
to the surface. The cultivation prac-
ticed with corn is equally adapted to
cassava, and three or four workings
will be sufficient, notwithstanding its
long growing season. When the plant,
reach we'll out into the space between
the rows and shade the ground we'll
all cultivation may cease and the crop
considered as laid by. At the time
of the last cultivation, which will US
ualy occur about Aug. l. a single row
of cow-peas may be advantageously
sown in the middle of the rows Time
required for maturing is about Z
months between frosts.
Harvesting-Th nature of the plant
niece estates hand Harvesting, but it
possesses two saving graces, which
render the task comparatively easy.
First, it thrives best on light, sandy
dry soils in which it's roots do not have
a very tenacious hold, and second so
many of these roots grow near the sur
face that no great difficulty is expert
enced in removing them in a body
from the soil. The work is best per-
formed by two men on opposite sides
of the row. The stems should have pre-
Viously been cut off with hoes about
six inches above the ground after the
appearance of frost or the general
following of the leaves shows that
growth is at an end The remaining
Stubs of stems furnish a hold by
means of which the entire root system
is raised from the ground. If any plant
possesses a special tenacious hold on
the ground a little loosening by shovel
or spade thrust under one side of the
plant will accomplish its release. Roots
occasionally become broken off in the
ground, but these are secured without
difficulty by means of shovel or spade.
The roots must be kept in a dry and
reasonably cool place or they are apt
to deteriorate after a few days re-
moval from the ground. AS the ground
on which cassaVa grows seldom
freezes, the crop is best stored where
1t grew. and only harvested a few days
previous to actual use.
Preserving seed. The entire above
ground growth of the plant, except its
served for seed. The stems are trim
med by hand, the leaves and tips being
broken off and then laid upon a dry
piece of ground, preferably freshly
plowed. The butt-ends of the stalks
should be thrust into the ground and
then a second layer be placed over
them, butts also in the ground and
so the pile, or bed should be continued,
layer on layer, like shingles of a roof,
n F1ia
large enough. The cane should then be
covered with straw. hay or moss and
this with a light layer of soil. In ex-
tremely dry weather the addition of a
little water to the beds would be ad-
Visable, but our winter rains are usual
ly ample for the needs of the seed-cane,
and our experience at the station is
that superabundance of moisture is
more dangerous than dry weather, as
rotting of the bed is more common
than its drying out Neither extreme
however, is frequent, and the seed may
be expected to pass the winter in good
condition with reasona BILE certainty.