25 



100.— THE "CASHEW" (Anacardium occidentale) 



AND POULTRY. 



In number 24, article 79, there was published a few notes on the 

 above tree. After reading the above a lady writes : — '' I am inte- 

 " rested in what you say about the Cashew, but do you know the old 

 *' superstition that if the nuts are burnt anywhere near young 

 "chickens it will give them the yaws? I have seen rather convinc- 

 " ing proof, and it is curious that the strong oil should be a remedy 

 " for skin diseases. That it takes off the skin I have often found to 

 " my cost when I was a child." Although not mentioned in Art. 77 

 we were aware of the old tradition mentioned by our correspondent, 

 and our opinion is that it has some truth in it, and that it cer- 

 tainly deserves further investigation. The "yaws" in chickens 

 certainly occurs at the same period, of the year in Avhich the cashew 

 ripens, and poultry are attracted by the sweetness of the nut. What 

 is more likely therefore that the blistering oil should so excoriate the 

 surfaces, as to form a suitable lodgement for the germs of the infec- 

 tious disease known as "Yaws ;" the history and nature of which is as 

 yet (so far as I am aware) undetermined. There can be little doubt 

 that the disease is highly infectious and it has been known to appear 

 in places where no Cashew were present ; it is therefore not 

 unlikely that it is due primarily to some other cause, but we consider 

 it highly probable that the disease may be increased in its intensity 

 and perhaps the infection carried to wider distances by the presence of 

 the "Cashew." An eff'ective remedy for the "yaws" on poultry of 

 any kind is to daily dress the infected surfaces with Iodoform ointment, 

 after gently cleaning away the dried scabs. 



101.-" CASSAVA." 



Under the above name are cultivated the Euphorbiaceous plants 

 known to Botanists as Manihot Aipi and M. utiUssima, which by some 

 are considered synonymous. Mr. Fawcett of Jamaica in his " Economic 

 plants" states that " there are a number of varieties according to colour 

 " of stem and division of leaves. There is also one with a wo?i -poisonous 

 "juice in the root. But the plant generally known as Sweet Cassava 

 "is without wings on the fruit and has a reddish root, {Manihot Aipi 

 " Pohl.)" He further adds that — •• Bitter Cassava root ahonmU in a 

 " miU-i/ poisonous juice and does not become soft hi/ hoiling or roasting." 



