M A 



M A 



ported as to the Manner of rooting 

 up this Plant, by tying a Dog there- 

 to, to prevent the certain Death of 

 the Perfon who mould dare to at- 

 tempt it, and the Groans it emits 

 upon the Force offer'd, &c. is all a 

 ridiculous Fable ; for I have taken 

 up feveral large Roots of this Plant, 

 fome of which have been tranfplant- 

 ed into other Places, but could never 

 obferve any particular Difference in 

 this from anyother deep-rootingPlant. 



MANIHOT, CalTavi, or Caflada. 

 The Characlers are; 



It hath a fhort. fpreading bell- 

 Jhaped Flower, confifing of one Leaf, 

 which is cut into federal Parts, 

 *iuhofe Point'al afterward heco?nes a 

 roundijb Fruit, compofd of three 

 Cells, which are joined together ; in 

 each of which is contained one oblong 

 Seed : to thefe Notes Jhould be added, 

 Male Flowers, which have no Point al, 

 growing round the Female, which 

 fall off, and are newer fruitful. 

 The Species are ; 



1. Man i hot Theveti Juca iff 

 Caffavi. J. B. Liji. R. H. The com- 

 mon CalTavi, or Caflada. 



2. Man I hot fpinofffma, folio 

 ■tvitiginee.PLun. Cat. Themoft prick- 

 ly Caflavi, with a Chafte tree -leaf. 



3. Man I HOT arbor efcens minus 

 fpinofa, floribus albis umbellatis, fo- 

 Jiis aconiti urentibus. Houjl. Tree- 

 like lefs- prickly CalTavi, with white 

 Flowers growing in Umbels, and a 

 Hinging Wolfsbane-leaf. 



4. Man 1 hot f rut efcens non fpi- 

 nofa, foliis glabris, cif minus lacinia- 

 tis. Houjl. Shrubby Caflavi without 

 Prickles, and fmooth Leaves, which 

 are lefs divided. 



5 . M a n 1 h o T ulmi folio ampliore. 

 Plum. Cat. CalTavi with an ample 

 Elm-leaf. 



6 . M a N 1 h T ulmi fclio angufti* 

 ore. Plum. Cat. Caflavi with a nar- 

 row Elm-leaf. 



The firft Sort is cultivated in all 

 the warm Parts of America, where 

 the Root is ground to Flour, after 

 being divefled of its Jujce ; and 

 then is made into Cakes, which are 

 ufed for Brea-i Of this there are 

 two Sorts, which are not diilinguifli- 

 ed by the Botanifls ; one of which, 

 *viz. the moll common, hath pur- 

 plifh Stalks, and the Veins of the 

 Leavesare alio of apurpliih Colour ; 

 but the Stalks of the other are green, 

 and the Leaves are of a lighter- 

 green Colour. The laft of thefe 

 Sorts is not venomous, even while 

 the Roots are frefri, and full of 

 Juice ; for the Negroes frequently 

 dig up the Roots, and, after roaft- 

 ing them, eat them in the fame 

 manner as Potatoes, without any ill 

 Effecls. This Sort is known by the 

 Spaniards, who call it Camanioc : 

 but this being more light and fpon - 

 gy than the common Sort, and re- 

 quiring a longer time to grow to 

 Maturity, is planted by few People 

 in America. 



The Caflada is propagated by 

 Cuttings, which the Inhabitants of 

 America plant, at their rainy Sea- 

 fons : thefe Cuttings are taken from 

 thofe Plants, vvhofe Roots are grown 

 to Maturity, for Ufe : the Cuttings 

 are generally about fifteen or fix- 

 teen Inches in Length, and are 

 p ! anted a Foot or fourteen Inches 

 deep in the Ground, leaving about 

 two or three Inches of the Cutting 

 above the Surface. The Land in. 

 which this is planted, muft be well 

 wrought, and cleanfed from the 

 Roots of noxious Weeds ; then there 

 lhould be a Trench opened crofs the 

 Ground about a Foot deep, in 

 which the Cuttings lhould be placed 

 at about a Foot Dillance from 

 each other, leaving a fmall Part 

 of each Cutting above the Sur- 

 face : then the Earth Jhould be £11- 

 H h h 3 ed 



