CASSAVA. 239 
It is a very remarkable circumstance, that the roots 
of the cassava, if eaten raw, are a fatal poison both to 
man and beast, and that, when prepared by heat, they 
yield a safe and valuable food ; on which, indeed, many 
both of the Indian and European inhabitants of South 
America almost wholly subsist. The roots are the only 
edible parts of the plant. These, which are white, soft, 
and farinaceous, from one to two feet in length, and 
five or six inches in circumference, are dug out of the 
earth, at a certain season of the year, washed, stripped 
of their rind, and ground to a pulp. The juice, or 
poisonous part, is pressed out, and carefully thrown 
away; as cattle, and other animals, which have accident- 
ally drunk of it, have almost instantly died. The flour 
that remains, after pressure, is formed into thin round 
cakes and baked. To an European, accustomed to 
other bread, these, though sweetish, and not unpalatable, 
have an insipid taste. If placed in close vessels, arid 
preserved from the attacks of insects, cassava bread 
may be kept for several months without injury. 
With the natives of South America, it is not unusual 
to throw a great number of cakes of cassava together to 
heat, after which they soak them in water, which causes 
a rapid fermentation to take place; and from the liquor 
thus obtained, they make a very sharp and disagreeable, 
but intoxicating beverage, which will not keep longer 
than twenty-four hours without spoiling. 
From the pure flour of cassava is formed the sub* 
stance called tapioca, which is frequently imported into 
this country, and is used for jelly, puddings, and other 
culinary purposes. It is prepared from the fibrous 
part of the roots by taking a small quantity of the pulp, 
after the juice is extracted, and working it in the hand 
till a thick white cream appears on the surface. This, 
being separated, and washed in water, gradually sub- 
sides to the bottom. After the water is poured off, the 
remaining moisture is dissipated by a slow fire, the sub- 
stance being constantly stirred, until at length it is 
formed into grains about the size of sago (266). 
