PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE 



starch ; but they are an excellent food, for which there is 

 a good local market. 



ARROWROOT 



Climate. Arrowroot is also a native of tropical Amer- 

 ica, but it is now cultivated in all tropical and subtropical 



lands. Although a plant of 

 warm countries, it can en- 

 dure frost at about the time 

 of harvest. Except when 

 young and growing rapidly, 

 it also endures drought, or 

 dry weather, well. 



Culture. Arrowroot re- 

 quires a fairly light soil, 

 cultivated very deep and 

 very fine. The starch of 

 arrowroot is stored in rhi- 

 zomes. A rhizome is an 

 underground stem which, 

 instead of being a tuber, like the potato, is long and 

 grows horizontally. About three months before plant- 

 ing time, the largest rhizomes from the previous crop 

 are planted in a seed bed. These produce numerous 

 branches, which are ready to plant when as -thick as a 

 finger. These branches are planted like potatoes, but 

 not hilled so high in cultivation. 



Harvesting. It takes almost a year for arrowroot to 

 mature. The rhizomes are then dug up, being found 



FIG. 68. Arrowroot 



