2 BULLETIN 612, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



The tuber system of the clasheen consists of a large rootstock, or 

 oorm, and a considerable number of smaller cormels, or tubers, which 

 branch out from the corm on all sides. The central corm may weigh 

 from 1 to 5 or even 6 pounds. The tubers resemble sweet potatoes 

 in shape and range of size. Inasmuch as both the corms and the 

 tubers are edible and both are included in the harvested crop, 

 throughout this discussion the term dasheen may be understood to 

 refer to both. 



Many tests of the culinary possibilities of the dasheen have been 

 made by the Department of Agriculture, by home-economics workers 

 and teachers, and by housekeepers. The general conclusion drawn 

 from this work was very favorable to the dasheen. In general it 

 may be said that the dasheen, which in flavor and starch is like the 

 white potato, can be cooked in much the same way as this well- 

 known vegetable. The flesh of the dasheen, when cooked, varies 

 from a white or gray to a light-violet color and has a nutty flavor, 

 which is very generally relished by those who are accustomed to 

 it. It seems drier than white potato and many seem to feel the need 

 for a liberal amount of butter when eating it, either baked or boiled. 



A review of the literature furnished no information in regard to 

 the digestibility of this vegetable, and so it seemed desirable to de- 

 termine to what extent it is utilized by the human body. A supply 

 of dasheens of uniform quality, grown under known soil and climatic 

 conditions, was secured for this purpose through the cooperation of 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry from one of its experimental fields in 

 Florida. 



NATURE OF THE DIET DURING THE TEST PERIODS. 



Since carbohydrates would be the chief nutrient introduced into 

 the diet by the dasheen, in this study attention has centered on the 

 digestibility of this constituent, though data are also reported for 

 protein, fat, and ash. Accordingly, in selecting the basal ration, 

 foods were chosen which contained a minimum amount of carbohy- 

 drates, a simple basal diet consisting of milk, fruit, butter, and tea or 

 coffee, if any liquid other than water was desired, being served in 

 conjunction with the dasheen. The object was to have a diet simple in 

 character and meeting the experimental requirements, yet sufficiently 

 palatable to be eaten for three days (the length of the experimental 

 periods) without being monotonous, and also varied enough to be 

 comparable with an ordinary mixed diet. That experimental rations 

 thus planned give satisfactory results has been the experience of this 

 office. To insure the consumption of fairly large amounts of dasheen 

 the subjects were urged to eat freely of it, and at the same time they 



