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CASSAVA. Manihot tjtilissima, Pohl. 



Cassava is a native probably of Brazil. It is a half-shrubby perennial, with very large yellowish 

 roots filled with a milky juice, generally poisonous; leaves large, very deeply divided into 3 to 7 seg- 

 ments ; fruit with six narrow, thick wings. (Ettphorbiacece.) 



There are a number of varieties, according to colour of stem and division of leaves. There is also 

 one with a non-poisonous juice in the root. But the plant generally known as " Sweet Cassava," is with- 

 out wings on the fruit, and has a reddish root. (Manihot Aipi, Pohl.) 



Bitter. Cassava Root abounds in a milky poisonous juice, and does not become soft by boiling or 

 roasting. 



Dwisisx Oasoava Hoot Las a, uuii-poiaonoua juice, has tough portions in the centre, but becomes 

 quite soft by boiling, and is eaten like potatoes. 



Cassava Meal is prepared from both kinds. The root is grated, by which the cells, containing 

 the juiee and starch-grains, are brokea up. The grated material is placed, under prossure, sometimes 

 with water pouring through it The pressure squeezes out all the juice ; while a certain proportion of 

 the starch-grains passes over with the liquor. The substance left under pressure c insists chiefly of 

 the cell- walls broken up, but also of some starch-grains. This is Cassava Meal which is dried on hot 

 plates, and made into Cassava cakes. The liquor which passes away undar pressure, being the pure 

 juice only, or the juice mixed with water, is allowed to stand for some time, when the starch settles to 

 the bottom, and the liquor is poured off. The starch-grains, as seen under the microscope, are mullar- 

 shaped. This is Cassava starch proper, as distinguished from Cassava meal. 



Tapioca is prepared by heating moistened cassava starch on hot plates This process alters the 

 grains, which swell up, msny bursting, and then they agglomerate in small irregular masses. 



Cassareep is the juice of the bitter cassava root, concentrated by heat, which also dissipates the 

 volatile poisonous principle. The same is further flavoured with aromatics. Boiled with peppers and 

 fish or meat, it forms the West Indian " pepper-pot." 



The following notes on making Cassava Cakes, Tapioca and Cassareep are kindly contributed by a 

 correspondent : — 



Cassareep. Grate the Cassava and squeeze out the juice, which is to be put aside for about 3 

 days. Add one pint of fine salt to every twelve quarts, and then boil down until it becomes like syrup. 

 If it is intended for long keeping, it must be boiled thick. Put asida in jars, till required for bottling. 



Tapioca. Grate the Cassava. Wash it by putting in a cloth and pouring clean water on it till 

 all the starch is washed out. The water containing the starch must be set down till all the starch has 

 settled, and the water at the top is quite clear. Decant the water, leaving tbe starch at the bottom. 

 Wash again with clean water, allow it to settle, and pour off th« water. Take up the starch in lumps, 

 and put it to quail a little in the sun. Then mash it up tine, and sieve it. Put a large baking iron on 

 the fire, and bake it in cakes not too thick The iron should not; be too hot, as the cakes must not bd 

 baked brown. Then dry well in the sun, and beat in a mortar, coarse or fine, as required. If sieved, 

 it will give two qualities, fine and coarse. 



Cassava Cakes. Grate and squeeze well, but do not wash. After squeezing, let the lumps dry 

 very slightly in the sun. Beat in a mortar and sieve. Bake on the iron thin or thick, according as 

 Bammies or thick cakes are wanted. 



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VEGETABLES. 



With reference to the articles on cultivation of vegetables, a correspondent writes as follows : — " I 

 have found that the first rains in January and July, if they are more than short showers are the two 

 best months for foreign seeds : if no rains in January and July, February and August become the 

 months. It is remarkable how soon seeds lose their vitality in Jamaica, if at all exposed. My plan 

 was to pack in brown paper, then place in a glass bottle with a screw top until full, and then wrap and 

 place in a dry dark place. It was some trouble, but then I could keep seeds in vitality for the rains as 

 they come. This was in the Clarendon mountains." 



This note on the best months for sowing in the Clarendon mountains is just the information that 

 it is important to obtain fur every district in Jamaica, and I venture to hope others will assist me in 

 the same way. 



With regard to putting by seeds, the caution might be added that the paper should be thoroughly 

 dried in the sun or an oven before being used for wrapping the seeds. 



The same correspondent continues : — " In St. Andrew I used to collect in the higher mountains 

 wild parsnip seed and wild carrot seed, and sow them in well prepared and rich, manured soils, and I 

 reaped first rate crops. 1 also did much with rape. This tillers well, and the sprouts would readily 

 grow. I also collected cabbage seed at a tigh altitude, and the sowing gave curious results. All kinds 

 and sorts came up. For ready growth however the tiller cabbage, called greengage, is the best. It 

 only grows from the sprouts. All the cabbage supply here (in St. Ann) is from the red mountain 

 soil, say 1,400 to 2,000 feet above sea-level, and is the said greengage. I used also to have a varied 

 culture of beans and peas, black eye and others. The yellow dwarf and an angular pea from South 

 America are very prolific and very hardy. All these require to be kept carefully in darkness and quite 

 dry, and not always then could the stock for seed be kept fresh and vigorous." 



These experiments on the seeds of wild plants are very interesting as experiments, but for the 

 purpose of growing vegetables for use, it is much better to purchase imported seeds of the bost kind. 

 It is said that plants deteriorate in Jamaica, if grown from seed produced here. One reason for this 

 may be that the seeds are not kept sufficiently long after being collected. W. F. 



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