1» 



" Mttnufaoturers are now oonsiderlug ilie importance of these facts, and 

 there is good reason for expecting the erection of at least two gluoo f ao- 

 tories in the near future, whioh will depend upon cassava for their raw 

 material." 



The satne authority says in another report : " The actual profit on the 

 feeding of the cassaya steers was 48.42 per cent on the investment. The 

 cotton seed steers returned a profit of 37.43 per cent., and the com fed 

 steers 14,98 per cent. The diSerence between lots 1 and 2 is decidedly 

 apparent and shews cassava to be very materially the cheapest and best 

 ration which can be used for fattening purposes. The most astonishing 

 fact, however, is the v^ery great difference demonstrated between the cost 

 aad the results of feeding com and feeding cassava, the difference being 

 almost two-thirds in favotir of the latter. 



'' Oassava proves itself a most superior beef fattening food. The cost 

 of live weight beef produced by feeding cassava is 1.1 cents per pound, 

 and in 7^ days a profit of 59 . 10 per cent was made by fattening beef npoti 

 oassava." 



The Tampa Herald says " The one thing necessary to securO for Florida 

 an immigration that Will convert our pine Woods into payibg farms, is the 

 discovery and fixed establishment of a money crop ; a staple that can be 

 produced on every farm in the state, and which will always bring oaaih to 

 the farmer in profitable volume so that he can every year have some sur- 

 pltts money to put in the Bank ; unliBss he should prefer to enlarge or im« 

 prove his farm. Ifow the Herald believes that this crop can be estab- 

 Mshed by the cultivation of Velvet Beans, and Cassava, aUd the cou» 

 Version of them into beef and pork. After all is said and done, 

 meat is th« great backbone of the North West, where more good 

 money is made than any where else. Let the farmers and owners of 

 lands demonstrate this fact, and they caa sell every acre of their holdings, 

 to men that will push the stock business. We will have as many 

 people as the land can hold. We will have a village with churches and 

 sehuols in -eveiy township. We will have a wealthy and powerful State. 

 We can have it is our firm belief. " 



In addition to the importance of oassava from the foregoing points of 

 view I have the pleasure to state that I directed the attention of the Secre- 

 tary of State for India tour years ago to the utilisation of new varieties of 

 this plant, (the bitter and sweet varieties have been known in one or two 

 looatitLes of India for hundreds of years) among the inhabitants of famine 

 stricken regions there. I pointed out that the cassava is peculiarly 

 drought resisting, flourishing as it does in arid regions, as well as 

 in humid regions. Thus about 14 inches of rainfall secures abundant crops, 

 whereas for rioe cultivation from 50 to 60 inches are requisite. I also 

 pointed out that some of the varieties when cooked as Irish Potatoes, rival 

 that edible in point of palatableness. My letters on this subject have 

 been published in India. 



A ffew months ago, I received instructions to furnish two Agricultural 

 Departments in India with these special varieties for experimental cultiva- 

 tiosn. I have obtained these varieties from Colombia from sections of it, 

 one thousand miles apart. During my residence in that Bepublio, many 

 years ago, I detected the merits of some of these varieties. Thus cp-iuoi- 

 dent with the intimation to hand of the great economic importance of one 

 or two varieties of cassava in America, the acquisition of some 23 addi- 

 tional varieties is most opportune. Several of these are exceedingly rich 

 in starch. And I have just despatched to Bombay and Punjaub all, the 

 T^riefies. I am forming a nursery of them -here, so that Tast oumberj| 9I 



