84 



whole of the ground pulp is pumped direct to the converters, and 

 the process of manufacture is the same as for corn or beet pulp.- 



CULTIVATIOX. 



Cassava grows in Hawaii as a perennial, although commercially 

 it is best to treat the crop as an annual. It thrives at sea level 

 on the kona side of most of the islands, and up to 3000 feet in all, 

 except the very wet, districts on all of the islands. Cassava re- 

 quires about the same soil as the sweet potato and maintains an 

 existence for a surprisingl}- long time under the worst conditions 

 of neglect, even when overgrown by lantana and other weeds. 

 A few plants are usually to be seen in the kuleanas of the native 

 Hawaiians, who give it even less care and attention than they 

 bestow on their sweet potato crop. 



If the cultivation of this crop is to be undertaken on a com- 

 mercial scale, land should be selected which can be plowed. Shal- 

 low plowing (6 to T2 inches) is to be recommended rather than 

 deep (12 to 30 inches), in order to keep the roots near the surface 

 and facilitate harvesting. After the land is plowed and har- 

 rowed, furrows are thrown 4 to 5 feet apart. The seed, consist- 

 ing of cuttings of the stalk of the plant 3 to 8 inches long, ?jre 

 dropped in the furrow, two to a hill, 2 to 4 feet apart in the 

 row. The seed is then plowed under. The best results have 

 been obtained here in Hawaii from plantings made from Novem- 

 ber to February. The field should be hoed twice, or, better, the 

 soil stirred and weeds kept in check by running a one-mule -cul- 

 tivator between the rows. By the end of the wet season the 

 plants will be high enough to keep ahead of the weeds and the 

 crop may be laid by. 



No irrigation is required. A moderate a])plication of a iow- 

 grade complete fertilizer such as would be used for any other 

 crop of low value (compared with cane) is recommende(h Ha- 

 waiian soils are mostly lacking in potash, so that this element 

 should be used rather freely. 



HARVESTING THE CROP. 



The roots from seed planted in January may be harvcstLnl ihe 

 following October or November. The roots will remain for a 

 long period in the soil and if allowed to grow for two years w^ill 

 greatly increase in size and weight, but somewhat at the expense 

 of starch. Two-year-old roots are often hard and fibrous, con- 

 taining little starch. Cassava roots rot very quickly after being 

 dug, and can seldom ordinarily be kept for over a week. How- 

 ever, as long as they remain in the ground thev do not rot imless 

 the plants are diseased. Old roots and old stems are often infested 

 to a greater or less extent by borers. Mice and the field cock- 

 roach destroy the roots. Because of the wastage through the 



