Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/481

CAS According to M. Bruvflli, hogs, and some ether animals, eagerly devour the fresh root, without the least injury. But Dr. Bancroft, in his Essay on the Natural His- tory of Guiana, &c. (8vo. 6s. 1769), states that the expressed juice of the cassaya-root, when drunk by sheep, hogs, and poul- try, proves inevitably fatal to them ; yet the animals thus poisoned are always eaten by the inhabitants. — The best antidotes against the vi- rulent effects of the cassava, in its crude state, are red pepper and rum, if immediately used. Fatal as this root is in its natural condition, it is rendered perfectly innocuous, and wholesome, by tire. By baking the meal, says the last mentioned au- thor, it is converted into nutritious food, and the poisonous juice of the root is, by bodi the. Indians and colonists, boiled with venison, pep- per, &c. by which process they prepare an agreeable and salubrious soup. We have enlarged Upon the pro- perties of this beneficial vegetable, because we think its general intro- duction into our West Indian set- tlements would be attended with the happiest effects 5 and that it might, by proper management, also be transplanted to the northern hemisphere. This, however, is certain, that exotics of almost every description might gradually be na- turalized in colder climates, if the following particulars were strictly attended to : namely, 1. That they be placed in a soil and situation congenial to their original habit ; 2. That in removing them farther northward, only the seeds and suckers of plants already accus- tomed to a cooler region, should be selected ; and 3. That tins method of transpbnting.them, be regulated CAS [447 upon certain principles, to be de- rived from a careful examination of the greater or less intimate con- nection, or affinity, subsisting be- tween vegetables of the same class, or genus. Thus, the potaloe, arti- choke, vine, mulberry-tree, and many other of the most useful ve- getables, have been mured to cli- mates very remote from their ori- gin j and the three last mentioned are now enabled (o withstand the severest winters. As we intend, on similar occa- sions, to refer to this article, with regard to the method of depriving certain vegetables of their poison- ous juices, we shall conclude this account with a few practical direc- tions to that effect ; because these will be applicable to any other tuberous and farinaceous root, as well as to seed, or fruit. Instead of grinding, or bruising such sub- stances, in the rude manner adopt- ed by the Indians, the roots, in particular, should first be properly peeled, and then grated upon a sieve. By moderately pressing this pulp with the hand, the juice, to- gether with some feculent matter, will pass through ; the latter will speedily subside, so tiiat the liquor may be poured off and fermented, by which method it will proba- bly be deprived of all its poison- ous qualities : should this, how- ever, not be the case, there is no- doubt, that from the expressed juice of all mealy roots (if the fermenting process be duly conducted), a very pure ardent spirit may be obtained by distillation. The pulp which remains on the sieve, must be either repeatedly washed with cold water, or soaked in several waters, without mi tier- ing it to ferment, till the liquor comes off quite clear : all these wash*