218 MEDICINAL PLANTS OF JAMAICA, 



The fresh green sticks put in water for a week yield a 

 white strong hemp, and that in no small quantity.) 



57. Jatropha Janipha — Sweet Cassada. 

 Manihot. — Bitter Cassada. 



Both these are cultivated as articles of food. It is difficult 

 to distinguish the bitter from the sweet cassada by the roots ; 

 but it will be best to avoid those of the cassada that bears 

 flowers, as it is the bitter which is poisonous when raw. 



The root of bitter cassada has no fibrous or woody filaments 

 in the heart of the root, and neither boils nor roasts soft. The 

 sweet cassada has all the opposite qualities, and is daily served 

 up at table as bread. 



Cassada bread is made of both the bitter and sweet, thus : 

 — The roots are washed and scraped clean ; then grated into 

 a tub or trough ; after this put into a hair bag, and strongly 

 pressed, and the meal or farina dried in a hot stone-basin 

 over the fire : lastly, made into cakes. These make most ex- 

 cellent puddings, equal to millet. 



The scrapings of fresh bitter cassada are successfully ap- 

 plied to ill-disposed ulcers. 



Cassada roots yield a great quantity of starch, which the 

 Brazilians export in little lumps, under the name of Tapioca. 



(Sweet cassada grows three or four feet high. The stem 

 is as thick as a walking stick, knotted and jointed. The leaves 

 are like those of the cotton tree or ceiba, and of a dark green 

 colour. This sort of cassada seldom or never blossoms. The 

 plant is propagated from the stem, by laying a few joints in 

 the earth. The roots are large, and grow spreading like a 

 bird's foot. These roots roasted or boiled, are very good to 

 eat. 



The bitter cassada grows ranker than the sweet ; and tin 

 trunks and roots are much thicker. The plant is generally 



