February i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
54i 
this analysis was not made until the latter part of 
July, and the first of August this year. Mr. Burr, 
in forwarding the roots, sent the following informa- 
tion concerning them : — 
"The roots do not last long after digging, drying 
up or rotting. Since this variety of cassava is not 
the bitter or poisonous kind, it is generally known in 
Florida as the sweet cassava. The roots are fed to 
all kinds of stock in a fresh state, and are greatly rel- 
ished. It has been sufficiently tasted here to show 
its great value as a stock food. The yield under 
favorable conditions is astonishing. I have recently 
dug one plant of one year's growth, which weighed 50 
pounds, being at the rate of more than 1500 bushels 
to the acre. Eight hundred to 1000 bushels per acre 
can be confidently reckoned on. " 
The roots received by us were long aud slender and 
of various sizes ; some of them were quite two feet 
long, and weighed several pounds. The bark, which 
contains the poisonous principle if any be present, 
was carefully soraped off and has been preserved for 
subsequent examination. The analysis of the sample, cal- 
culated to dry substance, is given in the following 
table: — 
Serial No 5547 
Ash 1'94 per cent. 
Oil (petroleum ether extract) ... 1-27 „ 
Ether extract (glucosides, alcaloids, 
organic acids, etc.) "74 ,, 
Alcohol extract (amids, 
sugars, resins, etc.,) 17'43 ,, 
Crude fibre 4 03 fJ 
Starch 71-85 „ 
Albuminoids (calculated 
from nitrogen) 3'47 „ 
100 73 „ 
In regard to the method of analysis, little ue d be 
said ; it was carried on in accordance with the well- 
established rules of plant analysis, as laid down by 
Dragendorff. The first extraction of petroleum ether 
gave the fat or oil alon.-, and the subsequent ex- 
traction with sulphuric ether gave the glucosides, al- 
caloids and organic acids. That portion of nitrogen 
existing as amids has been estimated in the alcoholic 
extract. The total nitrogen was also estimated ami 
entered as albuminoids ; a small portion of the nit- 
rogen has thus been counted twice in the total re- 
sult* which <dd up a little over 100. A characteristic 
feature of the cassava root is shown m the large 
amount of substance present, soluble in alcohol. 
The amount of starch also compares fairly well with 
tho best varieties of potatoes. On account of the 
large quantity <>f sugars present, the cassava root could 
be more economically used for the manufacture of 
glucose than for starch ; there is no doubt, however, 
of the fact that a fiuo article of sturch food ran he 
made from the cassava root growing in this country. 
Iu addition to the fresh root above noted, two 
samples of tho dried root or cassava meal have also 
In > n examined. No. ',!i2'J win smi to u~, described 
as pulverized manihot root or cassava Hour. The 
root is first peeled, chopped into thin slices, dried in 
the sun two days and pulverized. It was prepared by 
l'rof. W. H. Kern, of liartow, Fla. No 5,023 was 
labeled pulverized cassava, with the starch, or a 
portion of it, aud glucose washed out, the remaining 
pulp dried iu tho suu, prepared by l'rof. Kern. 
Prof. Kern sent a lettor with tho samples from 
which the following extracts are made: — 
"Allow me to say that owiug to the prodigious 
yield per acre of what we hero know as cassava, aud 
its alleged value as a feud and food plant, am) for 
its yield of starch and glucose, it is attracting a v ry 
great .Id of attention here now. The plant here 
grown i« different from tho manioo root of South and 
Central America; our root contains uo pnisoimus ele- 
ments which noed to be dissipated by heat. It is 
I'us'cinarv here for many persons to make th. ir own 
•tarvh from it. Tho root, which must remain in the 
ground until one is ready lo use it, in dug, washed, 
and its two inner and outer peelings removed ; it is 
then grated and the pulp washed, the water poured 
off in a vessel and allowed to stand when tho pure 
starch settles in the bottom. The clear water is 
again drawn off and the starch allowed to dry. The 
pulp, after having the starch washed out, may be 
used at once in making puddings by the addition 
of milk, eggs, etc. This washed pulp may be sun 
dried and thus kept, forming valuable meal or flour 
from which nice bread may be made. Necessitated 
as we are in South Florida to buy all our wheat flour, 
anything which acts as a substitute, either in whole 
or in part, is of great value to us. " 
The analyses of two samples of flour are given in 
the following table : — 
Serial No 5922 5923 
Water 10.50 per cent. 11.86 por cent. 
Ash 1.86 „ 1.13 „ 
Oil aud fat 1.50 „ .86 „ 
Glucosides, alcaloids 
and organic acids 64 „ .43 ,, 
Amids, sugars, resins .. 13.69 ,, 4.50 „ 
Dextrine, uum, etc., 
by difference 2.85 ,. 5.03 „ 
Crude fiber 2.96 „ 4.15 „ 
Nitrogenous bodies ... 1.31 „ 1.31 „ 
Starch 64.63 „ 70.13 
From the above analyses it is seen that the cass- 
ava cau never take the place of the flour made from 
cereals, as a food material, on account of the small 
portion of nitrogenous matter which it contains. It 
seems to me, however, that it might very well take 
the place of potatoes, and its value as a food should 
not be under estimated. 
Mr. S. W. Carson, of Midland, Fla., has made some 
very valuable contributions to the literature of the 
native cassava. From a letter of his to the Florida 
Parmer and Fruit Grower of April 11th, 1888, I make 
the following qu tations : — 
" As before stated, I regard the rolling pine 
lands, containing some willow oak, to be the best for 
cassava, and the southern countries to be best suited 
to it. Let the soil be well prepared by plowing and 
harrowing, rows checked about four feet apart, one 
piece laid in each hill. I think they should never be 
closer together than four feet, and five would be 
better. Cassava has beeu known to grow for three 
years in this country. It will continue to grow un- 
til the cold kills it, then by breaking off the stems 
when they are red. the stubble will sprout up in the 
spring. As to the seeds of the cassava they will 
ripen in about one year. If puddings, custards, etc., 
are desired, the roots must be peeled and grated; 
salt, sugar, etc., may be used according to taste. The 
Spaniards make bread of it simply by grating the 
root, and adding salt and a little soda. Now 
there is no doubt iu my mind but that thirty tooB 
of cassava root per acre can be produced. When I 
think of the tapioca, glucose and starch there are 
in it, and how abundantly it can bo turned into bacou 
aud lard, milk and butter, mutton and beef, I feel 
confident that it will pay better than auy other plant 
in tho world." 
Mr. J. H. Moore, of Kcuka, Fla., in a letter to the 
same paper of November 21, 1887, describes some of 
the uses of cassava. From his letter I make tho 
following extraot: — 
"Out the stalks about ono inch above tho ground, 
just before frost; after cutting, the stalks should bo 
left to dry iu a cool place a few weeks, and then 
placed in a trench aud covered until time for plant- 
ing. Some save the stalks by keeping them in a dry 
cool place until February and then plant. The roots 
should he dug as used; they will not keep in good 
condition out of tho ground more than three or four 
days. It is perhaps the best feed we cau raise for 
bogs; it is also a tine feed for poultry. We often 
bake it like sweet potatoes, and also slice anil fry 
it like Irish potatoes." 
M. Sacc has addressed a letter to tho Natioual 
Sooioty of Agriculture of France, concerning the cassava 
which ho calls " Manihot I'tilistima." He is of the 
opinion that the poisonous varieties are different 
botanically from the innocent. Manihot it thr hrrad 
of tropical regions Tho innocent varioty is cultivated 
