Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-04-10

A Dashesn Plant A
prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture)
The newly introduced vegetable. The
dasheen. which resembles the potato
and 10 q peculiarly suitable crop fol
our Southern states, has been expert
mented with by scientists of the de-
partment Of agriculture. who now give
the details Of . special way In which
1t may be forced. BY forcing and
blanching the shoots Of this tubel
crop (which ordinarily 10 grown like
the potato) the scientists have oh
tanned q new tender delicacy for the
table which may be used much like
asparagus. while it, flavor ID suggest.
i've Of mushrooms.
Several ways Of forcing and blanch-
ing the shoots Of this vegetable have
been tried and satisfactory shoots have
been grown In all these ways. In one
Of the experiments blAnching was &C
complished BY keeping the shoots Gov
cred with sand. In other experiments
by the department.. . frame covered
with several thicknesses Of burlap was
used. The boxes in which these exper-
iments were carried on were placed
in a'greenhouse on . bench that was
supplied with bottom heat
Where the production of shoots ON
. large scale IL desired other methods
are more suitable. These are de-
scribed in q circular just issued by the
ONCE Of foreign seed and plant intro
duction, entitled The Forcing and
Blanching Of Dasheen Shoots" The
ONCE will supply the bulletin to any
one that requests It. Requests should
be- addressed to the United States de-
partment Of agriculture. Warrington.
D. C.
The new circular gives q number Of
illustrations. one Of which shows .
bed Of dasheens in greenhouse at
Battle Greek, Mich. There 10 board
covering shown in the course Of con-
struction which II for the purpose of
blanching the shoots. This IL prac-
tically light-proof and should have
sides from 10 to "a inches high. The
temperature inside this should BE-
about 70 degrees F. The soil Tor sandl
should be . little warmer. say 80 de-
grees. To obtain this temperature It
IN best to partially inclose the space
beneath the bed.
To obtain the shoots. corms OF the
dasheen. weighing two to three pounds
or more. are planted in . fairly warm
place in very moist sand or sandy soil.
Corn" 10 the term used to describe
the bubble root Of the plant -
~tuber" u used to describe that Of the
potato. A half-and-half mixture Of sand
and ordinary potting soil has given
good results. The corms are just COW
cred, the terminal bud being 1t the
surface. Provision must be made for
keeping the shoots in total darkness
from the time they begin to grow. Wa
ter should be supplied often enough to
keep the sand q soil continuously
moist.
The first crop Of shoots Is usually
ready for cutting in IS to 40 days after
planting. From six to ten cuttings
can be made at intervals Of 10 to IA
days, depending upon temperature and
the size Of the corms used. The shoots
are cut close to the CORN. and a. far
as practicable, before the leaves b.
gin to expand. They win then usually
be eight to sixteen inches long.
After the corms become exhausted.
which ID Indicated By the weak growth
Of the shoots, they are discarded.
Out Of DOORS In . warm region. ~
In Florida. the, corms may be planted
In rows in sandy coil and the shoots
blanched by ridging the soil - growth
Instead Of ridging the soil.
boards may be used. - in blanching
celery, but the shoots must not at any
stage of their growth be exposed to
light for any considerable length OF
lime.
The shoots have been found to keep
we'll for several days II in cool. dry
place. Al they are very succulent,
however. It 10 better that the period
,f storage be very limited-not over
two to four days when avoidable. A |
little ventilation ID necessary. but a.
he shoots soon wilt II evaporation IL
100 rapid . parahlned paper should be |
lsed In Wrapping and . slight opening |
eft.
Sometimes. whsn the shoots are to |