JAMAICA. 



BXJLI.BTIN 



OF THB NEW YORK 



80TANJCAL 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ^^'^'^^^ 



Vol. IV. APRIL, 1906. Part 4, 



CASSAVA TRIALS III. 



Final results of test of 23 varieties. 

 By H. H. Cousins, M.A., Oxon., F.C.S., Island Chemist. 



The results obtained in this series of trials at the Hope Experi- 

 ment Station of Cassavas at 12 and 1 5 months' growth have been 

 given in this Bulletin (1905 pp. 152-155 and 218-219) and the final 

 results of the tonnage and starch yield per acre after 21 months' 

 growth have now been obtained. 



Tables are given showing the results of the final yield, the 

 comparative yields of tubers and of starch at 12, 15 and 21 

 months' growth, and finally of the increased yield of tubers and 

 of starch by prolonging growth from 1 2-1 5 months and 1 5 to 21 

 months respectively. 



Best varieties for harvesting at 12 months. 



' White Top' proved the best variety in these experiments with 

 a yield of 10.5 tons tubers containing 7,902lbs. starch per acre. 

 Next came 'Long Leaf Blue Bud' with 9.0 tons tubers followed 

 by 'Blue Top' with 8} tons per acre. 'Smalling' was fourth, 

 closely followed by 'Rodney' and ' Luana Sweet.' 



Best varieties for harvesting at 15 months. 



'White Top' fell off after 12 months' growth and is clearly a 

 variety that does not improve by a longer period of growth than 

 a year. At 15 months, ' Long Leaf Blue Bud' proved to be the 

 most prolific variety, yielding 15.4 tons of tubers with 4,955lbs. 

 starch per acre. ' Smalling,' ' MuUings' and ' Luana Bitter' fol- 

 lowed in the order named. 



Best varieties at 21 months. 



'Blu^e Top' is the champion cassava of this series having given 

 us 21.9 tons of tubers and over 7 tons of starch per acre (15,818 

 lbs). This result would have been considered fabulous previous 

 to this careful series of field trials, and it is claimed that we have 

 now proved that cassava can be grown without irrigation in the 

 plain of Liguanea in Jamaica to give a yield of starch greater 

 than has ever been recorded before of any starch-producing plant. 



It is true that this crop has taken the plant practically two 

 years to produce, but when we remember the cheapness of \z.n& 



