360 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



(with a cultivator) in every yard, abcut 

 twice a week; and although the ducks don't 

 scratch, they are as fond of digging out the 

 soaked oats as are the chickens. When the 

 young roosters get big enough to annoy the 

 pullets they, too, need a yard all by them- 

 selves. In order to get a vacant yard, we 

 often double up temporarily; and as each 

 house and yard is a duplicate of the others, 

 the moved fowls always know where to get 

 food, drink, etc. Much has been said about 

 dispensing with males; but a good rooster 

 will keep his flock together, and will take 

 them away off down by the canal and into 

 new forage where they may get a large part 

 of their food better than a flock of hens. 



In cut No. 3 they were a little backward 

 about crowding up around the " gi'eens," 

 because Ernest was a stranger. One hen, 

 however, it seems, was immodest enough to 

 hop into the basket and give us all a " back- 

 ward " view in another sense of the word. 

 Notice the different colors that crop out by 

 my ci'oss of Buttercups and Leghorns. Just 



now (March 10) we are getting from 35 to 

 40 eggs a day from 50 layers, and two days 

 we had 44 eggs. At 30 cts. a dozen tliis, 

 with the ducks, pays very well. A visitor 

 remarked a few days ago, " Why, Mr. Root, 

 with your fine outfit it almost looks as if you 

 had nothing to do but "gather the eggs;" 

 but I tell you such a ranch needs pretty 

 close watching several times a day to do its 

 best. Sitting hens should be spotted and 

 taken away just as soon as a symptom is 

 visible; and quite often something goes 

 wrong that needs righting at once. 



CASSAVA FOB CHICKENS, ETC. 



Mr. A. I. Root : — Cuttings are about four inches 

 long, cut ready to plant ; are planted about 4x4 

 feet ; or 4 X 5 on good well-drained land will make 

 from ten to twenty pounds of roots per hill ; does 

 well on the high sand hills. It makes good feed for 

 cows and pigs, horses and chickens, also for table 

 use, grated and made up like sweet-potato pudding. 

 Four pounds is equal to one pound of corn as feed. 

 It will stand shipping by freight. I have grown it 

 in this section for the past 25 years. 



Loughman, Fla., Mar. 14. R. Addison. 



HIGH 



THE TWO DASHEEN TUBERS SENT OUR SUB- 

 SCRIBERS, ETC. 



Since my brief notice that the tubers were 

 ready to mail I have addressed more pack- 

 ages than I have for years past ; but the 

 kind words that came in almost every letter 

 or on every postal card made the task a 

 vei-y happy one. I presume they are most- 

 ly planted by this time, either indoors or 

 out; and you may be glad of some sugges- 

 tions as they begin to show their snow-white 

 shoots and unfold their pretty green leaves. 

 Old decomposed stable manure will likely 

 be the best " feed " for their tiny rootlets; 

 then give them water as fast as they seem 

 to need it. As they need much sun and 

 heat give them a place sheltered from the 

 cold winds. Although they are a sort of 

 water-plant there must be good drainage. 

 If they can get their white roots down into 

 damp loose soil, that will suit them. Years 

 ago I had a good deal to say about " Father 

 Cole's " " New Agriculture." The plan was 

 to gather and bury the rocks and cobble 

 stones on the farm, in a pit. On top of the 

 rocks was brush, old straw, and coarse sta- 

 ble manure, and then the soil. The roots 

 of the growing crops would go down into 

 the water between the stones and trash, and 

 be immune to drouth. We have been clear- 

 ing our wild land by burying weeds and 



.E GAMDENMG 



bushes in the same way, and this suits the 

 dasheen to a dot. Ours are at present mak- 

 ing a most astonishing growth. 



Now here comes in another most wonder- 

 ful thing about this plant. After it has 

 grown a foot high or more you will notice 

 tiny suckers shooting out around the parent 

 stem. This is the way in which it multiplies. 

 So far as I know it never blossoms or bears 

 seed. Well, these suckers, if left, will each 

 make a tuber springing out from the cen- 

 tral parent tuber, or " corm ;" but if you 

 want rapid increase take them off at any 

 stage of gTowth, and plant them out. Our 

 finest bed was made by taking up our old 

 plants and separating them until each made 

 a dozen or more, and not one of the lot even 

 wilted a leaf. Some of our oldest "clumps" 

 will now give us 20 or 30 good plants for a 

 new plantation. Of course, this latter is 

 possible only where the plant can gi'ow 

 every day in the year, because we have no 

 frost. Let me repeat: Every bit of the 

 plant is always edible every day in the year 

 — the tuber under ground, the leaf-stalk, 

 both under and above gi'ound, and the green 

 leaves on top of the stalk. It is not only 

 edible, but delicious and nourishing food. 

 Huber and his wife are here with us in our 

 southern home, and they too seem never to 

 tire of what we call " dasheen asparagus " 

 and dasheen " spinach." 



