M. Sacc lias addressed a letter to the National Society of Agriculture 

 of France concerning tbe cassava, which he calls Maniliot utilissima. 

 He is of the opinion that the poisonous varieties are different botan- 

 ically from the innocent. Maniliot is the bread of tropical regions. The 

 innocent variety is cultivated in Bolivia, and the botanists there call it 

 Maniliot a'ipi. The plant grows from 1 to 2 meters in height, with 

 straight and naked stalks, since they only develop leaves at their 

 extremities ; the only care given to them in their cultivation is to keep 

 them free from weeds. The roots, to the number of five to nine, are of 

 the size of the closed hand. The following analysis of the roots of the 

 Manihot a'ipi is given : 



Per cent. 



Water 70.29 



Starch 14.40 



Sugar, salts, and malic acid 1.01 



Fibrin and yellow coloring matter 08 



Crude fiber -3.16 



Ash 10.82 



From the above it is seen that the roots of the tropical plant are quite 

 different from those produced in our own country. In regard to the 

 distribution of the two varieties, M. Sacc makes the following observa- 

 tion : 



In Cuba I have seen only the poisonous variety. The same is true of Brazil, where 

 I have not seen the Manihot a'ipi except in the Swiss colony, Porto Real. As to the 

 product of the two varieties, it is the same; the stalks, which are the size of the 

 linger, are from 1 to 2 meters in height. I have not been able to analyze the leaves 

 of this interesting vegetable, but as they are much sought after by cattle they are 

 probably very nutritious. 



These interesting facts concerning the cassava plant, derived from 

 our own analyses and observations and from the correspondence noted 

 above, have led us to believe that a wider knowledge of the properties 

 of this interesting plant would prove of interest not only to the growers 

 thereof, but also to capitalists and manufacturers, who might be inter- 

 ested in it as a promising source of food and as the raw material for 

 the manufacture of starch and glucose. 



A large quantity of the root, therefore, was obtained from Florida, 

 the bark separated from the root, and each subjected to analysis with 

 the following results : 



