124 GARDEN PLANTS. PART II. 



DICLINOUS EXOGENS. 



EUPHOKBIACE^]. 



Manihot utilissima. 



TAPIOCA MANDIOC OR CASSAVA PLANT. 



Dr. Lindley describes the Tapioca plant as " a shrub about 

 eight feet high, extensively cultivated for food all over the tro- 

 pical parts of the world. Of this plant the large root, weighing 

 as much as BOlbs., is full of venomous juice, which if taken 

 internally produces death. The roots are rasped, the pulp 

 well bruised and thoroughly washed, after which the mark is 

 placed on iron plates to be heated. In this way the venom 

 is washed out or driven off, and the residue becomes Cassava. 

 The powder which floats off in the water is a very poor starch, 

 which when it settles down becomes Tapioca."* 



The plant thrives well in Bengal, and a considerable plantation 

 of it is raised annually in the garden of the Agri-Horticultural 

 Society, though the manufacture of Tapioca is rarely, I believe, 

 resorted to in India. 



The season for taking up the crop of roots is in January, 

 at the same time that cuttings are put down for the crop of the 

 following year. 



In subjoining the following directions to be pursued in the 

 culture and manufacture of Tapioca, as given by J. P. Langlois, 

 Esq., in the ' Journal of the Agri-Horticultural'Society,' I need 

 hardly, perhaps, state how important a point in the manufacture 

 is the driving off by heat on hot iron plates of the poisonous 

 properties of the root. The poison is said to be very volatile. 



"Soil. This plant will thrive in any soil, although a sandy loam 

 is the best. 



" Cultivation. It requires no cultivation whatever, and is occa- 

 sionally met with in Arakan, growing wild in the Jungle. 



" Propagation. By cutting. Care to be taken to use the stronger 

 branches. The cutting must be from two to three feet long ; to be 

 placed in the ground in an upright position, and in rows four feet 

 apart. 



" Preparation. Twelve months after planting the roots are fit to 

 be dug up. They must then be well washed, and put into a trough 



* ' Vegetable Kingdom.' 



