Mr. Sherman Adams, in the Florida Agriculturist, says : 

 Soil suitable for corn is appropriate for cassava. It must nob, however, l>e wet 

 land or land subject to-overflow, as that will rot the tubers. Frost, if severe, will 

 kill the plant so effectually that but a small proportion will sprout again. By sav- 

 ing the stumps when the roots are dug, and planting them, they will sprout and 

 grow, though the tops be killed two or three times. There are about 2,740 hills per 

 acre. On land that will not grow more than 5 bushels of corn per acre, cassava 

 will average from 3 to 5 pounds per hill, or, at a very moderate estimate, 4 to 5 

 tons per acre. 



Mr. S. W. Carson, of Midland, Polk County, says: 



There is but one variety of cassava, viz, the sweet kind, grown -in Florida. I have 

 never seen any sample of the bitter variety. A Spaniard Who was once conversing 

 with me on the subject of cassava gave his idea as a proper definition of cassava 

 as "the life .of man."- After cultivating the plant for a quarter of a century, I am 

 ready to agree with him. If judiciously used it will reduce the grain rations for 

 horses and mules at least one-half. For cows you may keep bits of it mixed in the 

 slops and other food. I have never cooked it for stock, as I believe it is best fed raw. 

 In feeding to fowls, it should be thrown into the yard in its raw state daily, but in 

 small quantities. After feeding on it for one month any fowl will be fat enough to 

 cook without lard or butter. Honey bees forage largely on the blooms; cattle eat 

 with relish the tender shoots. The finest fowl yard imaginable could be made in a 

 cassava patch by turning the fowls into the patch ten months after planting.' The 

 roots would supply them with food and the tops shelter them from the sun. 



[regard the rolling pine lands, containing some willow oak, to be the best for 

 cassava, and the southern counties to be best suited to it. Let the soil be well pre- 

 pared by plowing and harrowing, rows checked about 4 feet apart, and one piece laid 

 in each hill. I'think they should never be closer together than 4 feet, and 5 would 

 be better. Cassava has been known to grow for three years in this country. It will 

 continue to grow until the cold kills it; then, by breaking off the stems when they 

 are red, the stubble will sprout up in the spring. As to the seeds of the cassava, 

 they will ripen in about one year. If puddings, custards, etc. ; are desired, the roots 

 must be peeled and grated; salt, sugar, etc., may be used according to taste. The 

 Spaniards make bread of it simply by grating the root, and adding salt and a little 

 soda. Now, there is no doubt in my mind but that 30 tons of cassava root per acre 

 can be produced. When I think of the tapioca, glucose, and starch there are in it, 

 and how abundantly it can be turned into bacon and lard, milk and butter, mutton 

 and beef, I feel confident that it will pay better than any other plant in the world. 



Mr. Paul Dupuy, of Boardman, Marion County, says but little cassava 

 is grown in that locality : 



Some months ago I spent fourteen months in Brazil, where the mandioc plant is 

 generally used as food by man and beast. In truth, it constitutes the bread of the 

 country, being a general article of food for all classes. It is prepared for food in 

 Brazil by grating it into a coarse pulp and pressing it to get rid of as much of the 

 juice as possible, which contains a large proportion of hydrocyanic acid. The pulp 

 is then placed in shallow copper pans and thoroughly dried over a gentle fire. In 

 this condition it resembles corn grits, and it is eaten in this shape, or it can be 

 cooked and prepared as corn meal and other starchy products. The sediment from 

 the expressed juice, when dried, constitutes the tapioca of commerce. As a starch 

 product I do not think it can be excelled, because of its enormous product per acre. 



Mr. A. Stephens Means, of Johns Pass, Hillsboro County, says : 

 It has great value as stock food, being very rich in starch, and moat animals eat 

 it greedily. It is a nourishing food for man and can be used in a number of ways, 

 as a substitute for potatoes, or the starch may be extracted and used for puddings, 

 etc. Any soil suitable for potatoes can be used for cassava. 



