384 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [L May, 1902. 
I have also received a communication per favour of His Excellency the 
Governor of Mauritius, promising to forward samples of seed rice from there 
as soon as available, together with the information as to the methods adopted 
in Mauritius for the growth and cultivation. 
I feel sure that amongst the varieties that are now to hand and awaitin 
the next planting season to further experiment with some will be foun 
suitable for the various districts and various climatic conditions of Queensland. 
TAPIOCA OR CASSAVA. 
By tHE EDITOR. 
There are two species of cassava, the sweet and the bitter. The plant 
much resembles the castor-oil plant, so much so, indeed, that a bed of it was 
lately shown to the writer, when at Cairns, as a bed of castor-oil plants. The 
farina for which itis grown is obtained from the roots, which have the appearance 
of the tubers of the Bermuda arrowroot plant. They attain, however, a much 
larger size, being, under exceptionally favourable circumstances, from 3 to 4 
feet long, and weighing as much as 30 Ib. each. 
The tuber of the sweet cassava (Manthot dipz) is perfectly innocuous and 
has somewhat the flavour of a raw sweet potato. It may be boiled or baked, 
and eaten as a vegetable without any previous preparation. 
The tubers of the bitter variety (Jutropha manthot), on the other hand, are 
exceedingly poisonous, but the poison is entirely confined to the juice. When 
that is expressed, the pulp is rendered harmless, and any trace left in the latter 
is easily driven out, as the poison in the juice is exceedingly volatile and soluble, 
and is dissipated by roasting the ground pulp. So volatile, indeed, is the 
poisonous principle that the tubers may be sliced, exposed to the sun, and fed 
to cattle with no ill effects. 
The juice is sweet to the taste, and, strange as it may seem, may be boiled 
with meat and eaten without danger. In Brazil and in the West Indies, a kind 
of soup is made with it called ‘‘ Cassareep.’’ Cassarcep is really, however, the 
extracted juice boiled into a concentrated state resembling molasses. It is the 
basis of the celebrated West Indian “ Pepper pot.” 
CULTIVATION. 
There is no more difficulty in cultivating cassava than in growing corn, and 
it is less troublesome than cane, coffee, or cotton. It is enormously productive, 
an acre of cassava being equal in produce to 6 acres of wheat. 
The best land for its successful cultivation is a loose, dry, well-drained 
sandy loam of considerable depth. Heavy lands with a clay subsoil are to be 
avoided. 
When theland has been properly prepared, make cuttings about 2 feet long 
of the stem of the plant if it be intended to plant them upright, but only 6 
inches long if they are to be planted horizontally. In Queensland the writer — 
has successfully grown cassava by the latter mode. In a few words, plant 
cassava as you would plant sugar-cane, but take the cuttings from the mature 
wood. ‘hey will begin to shoot in about a fortnight after the planting. Keep 
the ground well cultivated and clear of weeds until the plants are high enough to 
cover the ground. In eight months after planting the tubers will be ready to 
dig. Should the plants show a tendency to become too luxuriant, such tendency 
may be checked by disbudding. There is no need to dig the whole crop at once 
if it is not required for immediate use. The tubers may be left a whole year in 
the ground after they are ready for use, and will improve in that time rather 
than deteriorate. 
The height to which the plant will grow depends naturally upon local 
conditions, but from 4 to 6 feet is the average height. It thrives best near the 
sea or inland under the influence of a sea breeze. As it is a very exhausting 
