Vegetable substances used for the food of man / by Dr. Lankester. With illustrations.

  • Lankester, Edwin, 1814-1874.
Date:
[1850?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Vegetable substances used for the food of man / by Dr. Lankester. With illustrations. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    164/410 (page 154)
    The Jatropha Manihot—or bitter cassava ; and The Jatropha Janipha—or sweet cassava. The first of these varieties, when in its natural state, is highly poisonous; while the other, although equally agreeable and wholly innocuous, is yet not cultivated to anything like an equal extent. The two roots are very similar in appearance, their only perceptible aifference being a tough, ligneous fibre or cord run- ning through the heart of the sweet cassava root, which the bitter variety is wholly without. Bread is made of both kinds, which is palatable and whole- some; and although its taste may be thought some- what harsh by persons accustomed to soft fermented bread made from wheaten flour, cassava bread is not without its admirers, and is in such high repute with those who have been accustomed to its use, as to be frequently procured at some expense and trouble by Creole families who have transferred their residence to Europe. The tubers are spindle-shaped, much resembling parsnips in appearance: they are generally about fourteen or fifteen inches long, and four or five inches thick at the middle. When first dug out of the ground they are washed clean; the rind, which is of a dark colour is then peeled off, and the root is ground or grated. In Brazil, where the preparation of mandioc is carried on to a larger extent than in any other place, many persons are employed together in peeling the roots, which are then applied to and pressed against the face of a wheel, which is made to revolve with great velocity, and in this manner they are ground, a trough being placed beneath the wheel to receive the pulp. The next process is that of ex- pressing the poisonous juice, which is effected by placing the pulp in bags, and subjecting it to the action of a press. The only farther operation re- quired to fit it for consumption is that of baking,