OCTOBER 15, 1913 



He sent the seed in four-pound lots ; and to get rid 

 of 15,000 pounds he certainly must have done a 

 rushing business; and he further says he supposed 

 that there were at least 1000 requests that could not 

 be complied with last season. This season's crop will 

 be distributed in the same way, as the Government 

 wishes to entourage the growth of this food, which 

 seems destined to help in a measure to solve the 

 problem of the high cost of living. There are about 

 five acres in the three edible varieties, and this field 

 is certainly a beautiful sight. 



I saw here South African millet standing eighteen 

 feet high. Egyptian wheat is growing well, and there 

 are thirty-five varieties of sorghum under inspection. 

 The bamboo being tried are the Japanese varieties 

 used in that country for building houses. Prof. 

 Gomm is authority for the statement that several 

 hundred thousands of dollars' worth of this bamboo 

 is annually imported into this country for various 

 purposes, so that this would seem to be the begin- 

 ning of an industry in itself. For a soiling crop they 

 are trying out an imported bean, which Prof. Gomm 

 mentioned as the " Jack " bean. It grows to be sev- 

 en or eight inches long ; and, while I was told it 

 was not edible, it looks like a mighty fine food for 

 cattle." 



Let me add that, since our report of the 

 dasheeu flour, some of our women folks are 

 learning better how to use it ; and this 

 morning I ate a dasheen gem that was cer- 

 tainly equal to any thing I ever tasted in 

 the bi'ead line. So far as I know, dasheen 

 flour can be sliipped and kept like ordinary 

 wheat flour. Inquiries are coming to me 

 constantly, asking where they can get the 

 dasheens. The above clipping tells us the 

 Grovernment is going to have additional lots 

 in 4-lb. packages, and it may be well for 

 the friends to get their applications in early. 

 Don't write me, but apply to the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, Washington. 



By the way, what do you think of millet 

 standing 18 feet high? Can anybody tell us 

 more about it, or is it a misprint? 



DASHEENS — STH,L MORE IN REGARD TO THEM. 



For fear my Florida quarter-acre might 

 not be able to furnish a tuber or two to 

 every reader of Gleanings, I directed a 

 letter to the Brooksville Board of Trade, 

 asldng them if they would be able to help 

 me out if I did not gi'ow tubers enough to 

 go around to our 30,000 subscribers. Of 

 course, I do not suppose that every one of 

 the 30,000 will apply for a tuber; but I 

 want to be sure not to disappoint any one. 

 Below is their reply : 



Mr. A. I. Root: — Your letter of Sept. 20 is at 

 hand, and is greatly appreciated. We are glad to be 

 assured that you are taking such an active interest 

 in the dasheen, and we hope that the seed stoct yoi: 

 obtained from us last spring will bear abundant re- 

 turns. 



We have five acres out this year, and there aie, 

 perhaps, that many acres more in ihe hands o." tlie 

 farmers hereabout, so you see the crop this year will 

 be limited. The Government has six or seven acres 

 out at the Foreign Plant Introduction Station here, 

 but we presume they will use them for distribution 

 in 4-lb. packages as they did last year. You can rest 

 MBured, however, that we will supply you with a 



portion of our crop, which will not be on the market 

 much before the latter part of November. 



If you wish to be on the safe side, be careful of 

 Mhat you do in the matter of distributing dasheens 

 secured from South Africa, South America, New Zea- 

 land, etc. Your Uncle Sam at the local station is 

 proceeding with the greatest caution in this matter, 

 as you will readily understand when we tell you 

 that, out of about 200 varieties obtained from for- 

 eign countries, they have as yet recojnmended but 

 four as being superior for human consumption. 

 Many varieties are yet too acrid to constitute eatable 

 stuff; and if they ever amount to any thing your 

 Uncle Samuel will surely discover it here throug^i 

 e.\teusive experiment. Therefore, test out every va- 

 riety, or send samples to the Department to be test- 

 ed, Ijefore you offer them to your patrons, or they 

 may charge you with handing them something worse 

 than a lemon — -an Indian turnip. The dasheens that 

 have been approved by the Government experts here 

 are O. K., and we have reason to believe in a great 

 future for them, as indicated by the reports of those 

 who tried them in various parts of the country last 

 fall and winter. They have been used by some of 

 the most noted dieticians in the country, and have 

 been pronounced especially good for persons suffer- 

 ing from any form of stomach trouble. 



Then think of their versatility ! You can treat the 

 young stalks as celery, and secure a product supe- 

 rior to asparagus tips or mushrooms. A single 

 planting will grow eight crops, coming off about 

 every two weeks. You can also use the stalks for 

 rhubarb and the leaves of certain varieties for 

 greens. When the tuber matures you can use it in 

 any form the potato can be used, or grind into flour 

 and make of it any thing that can be made of wheat 

 or other flour. You can make a pie-crust of the 

 flour, and the filling of the stalk, as in rhubarb, or 

 the tuber, as with the sweet potato or pumpkin. 



My friend, if you would be initiated into the mys- 

 teries of propagating and harvesting dasheens, make 

 it a point to visit Brooksville on your way South 

 next month, and we will show you " sumpin." 



C. H. Preas, Sec. Brooksville Board of Trade. 



Brooksville, Fla., Sept. 23. 



Later. — On receipt of above I asked if 

 they could fill orders to our readers by par- 

 cel post, and below is their reply : 



Mr. A. I. Root: — In reply to your letter of Sept. 

 26, I will say that we will be pleased to ship by 

 parcel post any orders you may desire for your 

 patrons, and sell you in quantity for other means of 

 distribution. 



If you can manage to get here in November, you 

 will likely see the dasheen growing in all its pristine 

 glory, for the stalks remain green until the frosts 

 come. Try to be here. 



The publication and clippings arrived all right, 

 and we were glad to note the mention you make of 

 the stuff that made Brooksville famous. The writer 

 has written enough about that tuber to fill two 

 volumes, and I could write as much more if it were 

 necessary. We will be glad to have you visit Brooks- 

 ville at your earliest convenience. 



Brooksville, Fla., Sept. 29. C. H. Febas, 



Please notice what they say of it in re- 

 gard to acridity. Mrs. Root has just been 

 urging that I should give also the objection- 

 able features of the dasheen as well as the 

 good. Well, cooking entirely destroys this 

 acridity. Here is what the Government 

 bulletin has to say in regard to this matter : 



The leaves of the dasheen contain the same acrid 

 principle that characterizes the Indian turnip and 

 most other plants of this family. They should never 

 be tasted raw. The tubers of the most proniising 



