252 
MANIHOT. 
into flat cakes, called cassave , though, in several 
parts of America, they bake the raspings in grains 
or lumps, which are eaten in the same manner as 
rice. 
Among the varieties of this shrub which are cul- 
tivated, those of a red or violet tinge are the most 
common, and are reckoned the most profitable. 
The internal part of the root is always perfectly 
white, as well as the poisonous juice, which has the 
appearance of milk. When the plants have arrived 
at a proper age, the negroes cut off the stems close 
to the ground and dig up the roots, which are car- 
ried to an out-house, and the bark pared off with 
a knife. These parings, after being washed and 
grated, are put into mats, or sacks, and exposed to 
the action of a strong press for several hours. In 
this manner the poisonous juice is sufficiently ex- 
pressed from the wood, which is afterwards made 
into cassave. The manner in which this process is 
conducted is very simple : the grated root, in its 
prepared state, is laid on a plate of iron about two 
feet in diameter and half an inch in thickness. 
When this plate (which is supported on four feet 
for the purpose of lighting a fire under it) becomes 
hot, its surface is covered with the manihot root, 
which is very equally spread on the plate to the 
thickness of two fingers, and then flattened with 
a large wooden spatula. In this state it is left till 
the under side is sufficiently done, when it is merely 
turned, that both surfaces may be equally baked. 
The flat thin cake, which is thus formed, after being 
