ll 
Plantation, one eam it is planted in ridges, like potatoes, about a foot or 
18 inches a 
he first crop takes from eight to ten a to mature ; but, being 
perennial, fresh continually thrown out which give a succession 
of crops for several years. It would, however, re better to plant fresh 
“sets” at the beginning of every rainy season, and so secure a constant 
supply of young fingers. 
To prepare Aérasachs for the table, the roots are first scraped and 
then boiled; a little salt should be added; and if the roots are cod aa 
young it is customary to change the water once or twice. er being 
boiled, they may be grated and “employed as an ingredient for thickening 
soup; or, better still, mashed, cream with pepper, salt, and a little 
ish. 

ae the following method of wg toad oe pe 
in 
sepa 
detach fra these the offsets, singly, each with its portion of the: etna 
of the tuber, which is then to be pared smoothly all round at the bottom, 
the outer leaves being stripped or cut off, so as to leave a sprout from half 
to two or three inches at the most. If an erms or eyes be seen at the 
base of the offsets, these must t be carefully cut out. Thus prepared, the 
shoots are planted i in loose mould, in a slanting aieeseioh: at distances of 
15 or 18 inches from each other, whether the ground be level or ight 
Afterwards, at intervals of about two months, the soil ought to be 
weeded; and when the plants have attained the height of 10 or 12 inches, 
or whenever they show a pii aame - blossom, the budding tips should 
hi — ana: aon 
be taken off, as a process of flowering would 
coming to its st sia, teas paii taken n 
the budding extremities, lest the growth of the root should thereby also 
suffer ; wit me view, any luxuriance in the shoo ape to 
prevented, since sit must be at the expense of the roo me to 
the root. 
From a letter addressed to the British Consul-General at Bogota by 
Mr. Henry Burchall in 1878, it is gathered that Arracacha requires 
from 10 to 12 months to reach maturity, but the tubers may be gathered 
two months earlier if much pegs In this case the uce is of 
course smaller, but it is said t ually wholesome and eeable 
to the taste. Mr. Burchall Mentidóh that old or central portions of the 
root are never planted a second time, as they produce the macho, or a 
flowering stalk, and not edible roots. Ifse eed is used instead of “ sets” 
it would take two or three seasons before the plants attain coed fuil 
growth. With ripe “sets,” as mentioned above, t the mature crop is 
A full account of the Arracacha is given by Stom in El Agricultor 
Venezolano, from which we take the following no 
“The Arracacha is indigenous to Venezuela and ater Granada, and 
& belongs to "the family of Umbellifera 
= ave ee it by the name of Arracacha esculenta, 
& preserving thos ts primitive Indian denomination, and it was the 
« first Spanish Colonists who called it Apio, generalising this name in 
“& such a aco t many Venezuelans do not now know what the 
& Arracac 
“It is von generally from division of the crown or rootstock, 
« provided with buds or shoots, and also from the seed, though less 
“ advantageously from the latter. 
