Manioc, MANDIOC, or CASSAVA

Manioc, MANDIOC, or CASSAVA (Manihot utilissima), a plant of the natural order Euphorbiaceæ, a native of tropical America, and much cultivated there, in tropical Africa, and in other tropical countries. Manioc, or Mandioea, is the Brazilian name, Cassava the West Indian; and in Peru and some other parts of South America the name is Juca or Yucca. The plant is shrubby, with brittle stems 6 to 8 feet high, and crooked branches, at the extremities of which are the large palmate leaves and green flowers. The root is tuberous, of immense size, weighing often as much as 30 lb. The milky, acrid juice which permeates every part of the plant is a deadly poison in its fresh state, owing to the presence of hydrocyanic acid, which is quickly dissipated by heat. The juice, inspissated by boiling, forms the excellent sauce called Casarcep (q.v.), and fermented with molasses yields an intoxicating beverage called Ouyeou; whilst the root, grated, dried on hot metal plates, and roughly powdered, becomes an article of food, largely used in South America, and there very generally known as Farina (Port., 'meal'). It is made into thin cakes, like the oatmeal-cakes of Scotland, which are formed, however, not by mixing it with water, but by the action of heat softening and agglutinating the particles of starch. It is also imported into Britain, to be used in manufactures as starch. The true starch of manioc, separated in the ordinary manner from the fibre, is known in commerce as Brazilian Arrowroot. From it tapioca is made, by heating it on hot plates, and stirring with an iron rod; the starch-grains burst, some of the starch is converted into dextrine, and the whole agglomerates into small irregular masses. The Pearl Tapioca of the shops, consisting of small spherical grains, is not a product of manioc but of potato starch.—Another species or variety of manioc is also cultivated, the roots of which contain a perfectly bland juice, and are eaten raw, roasted, or boiled. This, the Sweet Cassava or Sweet Juca (M. Aipi, said to be a native of Africa as well as of America), has the root of longer shape than the common or bitter cassava, and smaller.—The manioc is easily propagated by cuttings of the stem, and is of rapid growth, attaining maturity in six months. The produce is at least six times that of wheat.