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Page from a January 1912, Mazdaznan publication

American Communal Societies Quarterly 
Volume 11 Number 2 Pages - 
April 2017 
Inside Back Cover 
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1et al.: Inside Back Cover
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English

Inside Back Cover

Reprint of an article published in the October 14, 1909, St. Cloud Tribune

American Communal Societies Quarterly 
Volume 11 Number 1 Pages 25-25 
January 2017 
St. Cloud. Plat of the Surveys and Lines for the Town and Farming 
Tracts. 
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25
ST. CLOUD.
Plat of  the Surveys and Lines for the Town and Farming 
Tracts.
THE TOWN PLAT.
The town of  St. Cloud is laid out on the south shore of  Lake East 
Tohopekaliga, with the avenues–named after the States–running due north 
and south, and the streets, numbered from the lake shore, running due east 
and west. A wide boulevard or park intervenes between the town and the 
lake. Each of  the squares inclosed by the streets and avenues is divided into 
24 1ots, each 25 feet front by 150 deep, and numbered consecutively from 
the northeast corner.
The railroad runs thru the town from west to east, with about one-third 
of  the town on the north side and the remainder on the south. Below is 
a diminished reproduction of  the town plat:
St. Cloud Tribune, 1, no. 6 (October 14, 1909).
1
et al.: St. Cloud. Plat of the Surveys and Lines
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St. Cloud. Plat of the Surveys and Lines for the Town and Farming Tracts.

Reprint of an article published in the January 27, 1910, St. Cloud Tribune

Stewart, Ezra J.

Winter Strawberries. A Great Money Crop, but One Requiring Care, Skill and Industry.

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Screaming Blues

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The Brain

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Tobacco

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Gwydir, Kate, \u2718

Spelling Test

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Williams, Jay

Penicillin

Reprint of an article published in the October 21, 1909, St. Cloud Tribune

American Communal Societies Quarterly 
Volume 11 Number 1 Pages 30-30 
January 2017 
The Pineapple. Destined to Be a Leading Crop of Florida. 
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30
THE PINEAPPLE. 
Destined to Be a Leading Crop of  Florida. 
The consumption of  the pineapple is rapidly increasing in the country as 
the people become acquainted with its delicious flavor and its power of  
greatly aiding in the disgestion of  other foods. Formerly all our pineapples 
came from the West Indies, but the growth of  them has been successfully 
carried on for many years in California and Florida.
In the Shaker Colony adjoining St. Cloud they are raising as fine 
pineapples as can be found in the world. The plant requires a porous, well 
drained soil, but it will thrive in a great variety of  soils. Around St. Cloud 
the best pineapples are grown in a fine, sandy soil which has from 94 to 
99 per cent silica. These soils require heavy fertilizing, but the product is 
exceedingly profitable.
The plant is propagated by setting out the crown at the top of  the 
fruit or suckers from the base or rattoons from the roots. Suckers are 
most commonly planted, since these will produce a crop in from 14 to 
18 months, while the crowns or slips require a year longer to come into 
bearing. The plants are set in rows about three feet apart and from 18 to 
36 inches distant in the row. After being once established a pineapple patch 
will endure eight or 10 years without resetting. Little cultivation is needed 
other than work around them with a scuffle hoe. The Shakers and others 
nave found that the best fruit is grown under sheds. These sheds are built 
of  lath spaced two or three inches apart and nailed to a framework six or 
seven feet high. This protects the plants from the frost and heat and greatly 
improves the quality of  the fruit. It will be seen that the shade from the lath 
will continually shift over the patch as the sun passes from east to west and 
this seems to give the necessary protection to the plant. 
The botanical name of  the pineapple is the ananas sativus and it 
belongs to the breadfruit family. The plant grows from two to four feet high 
with long, stiff, roughedged, swordshaped leaves. Each plant only produces 
one very fragrant, palatable fruit which varies in diameter from four inches 
upward. From six to 10 inches is the usual size, tho specimens have been 
grown which weighed 15 to 20 pounds. 
St. Cloud Tribune, 1, no. 7 (October 21, 1909).
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The Pineapple. Destined to Be a Leading Crop of Florida.

Reprint of an article published in the December 23, 1909, St. Cloud Tribune

American Communal Societies Quarterly 
Volume 11 Number 1 Pages 47-52 
January 2017 
Cassava and Arrowroot. Two Prolific Plants Which Promise Great 
Profits in the Coming Industrial Development of Florida. 
Ezra J. Stewart 
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47
CASSAVA AND ARROWROOT. 
Two Prolific Plants Which Promise Great Profits in the 
Coming Industrial Development of  Florida. 
By Ezra J. Stewart. 
Cassava, a species of  milkweed, is cultivated for its starchy roots, which are 
the only valuable parts of  the plant. These roots grow in clusters which 
often weight from 15 to 30 pounds. Single roots two years old have been 
known to weigh 150 pounds each. These roots are ordinarily from two to 
four feet in length, tho they sometimes grow nine or more feet long, being 
one to three inches in diameter. 
A native of  Brazil, cassava is grown extensively in South American 
countries, where it is known as mandioca; it is, in fact, a staple article 
of  human food thruout the Tropics. Being a starch-producing plant, its 
use for the manufacture of  starch, tapioca, glucose and similar products 
make it a profitable field crop. As feed for horses, mules, cattle, hogs and 
poultry, cassava contains a high percentage of  fattening value. The roots 
can be ground and dried so as to facilitate the storing or shipping or large 
quantities of  fe[ed?] a[t any?] season of  the year. 
There are two kinds of  cassava, the bitter and the sweet, but in reality 
the difference is slight. Bitter cassava is the kind most commonly grown 
in the Tropics, where it thrives wonderfully. Some varieties take years to 
reach full maturity. It contains a high percentage of  hydrocyanic acid and 
must be boiled to expel the acid before being suitable for food. The sweet 
cassava is nonpoisonous, and is the only kind grown in this country, of  
which we have from three to five varieties. In South America more than 40 
varieties of  sweet cassava are cultivated. 
In Florida. 
Grown in Florida for perhaps a half  century or more, it is esteemed by many 
farmers an ideal crop for our light, sandy soils. Some practice planting 
cassava in orchards, where, of  course, it needs liberal fertilization. The 
seeds, resembling those of  the castor bean, are not used for propagating 
the plant, but, as in the case of  sugarcane, the stalks or canes are planted 
for this purpose. The seed canes are cut into pieces four to eight inches 
long, each containing five to seven eyes. These are dropped lengthwise into 
rows, which are about five feet apart, and covered with earth three or four 
inches deep. The soil should then be well firmed to prevent drying out. As 
St. Cloud Tribune, 1, no. 16 (December 23, 1909).
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these stalks are unable to stand anything but a light frost, they should be 
cut by the middle of  December in this latitude. By planting immediately 
after cutting the necessity for storing the stalks is avoided; besides, they 
are then fresh and full of  vitality, insuring a better stand than when kept 
over to dry out or mould and spoil. When planted in December it will 
usually come up about the first of  February, and even if  cut down by frost 
will sprout again without apparent diminution of  energy. Spring planting 
generally means dry weather with consequent risk of  a small stand. 
If  it is found necessary to store the seed cane for Spring planting it 
may either be trenched in a deep furrow on ground which is high and dry 
or placed in a specially-prepared house with sides about three feet high, 
where the canes are stood on end, the tops being covered with straw and 
the sides of  the house banked with earth. Canes should be fully matured 
before being cut for seed. Afterward care should be taken to protect them 
from too much moisture. 
Easily Cultivated. 
Early cultivation is unnecessary beyond keeping the weeds down and pro- 
viding a dust mulch, the same as in the cultivation of  corn or potatoes. 
Later cultivation should be shallow, as the roots run close to the top of  the 
ground, and should not be lacerated. On land fairly free from weeds two 
cultivations is often all that is necessary, as the plants grow rapidly and soon 
form a dense shade sufficient to smother the grass and prevent the growth 
of  weeds. Like bananas, the cassava plant needs less care than either cotton 
or sugarcane, and is estimated by some planters to possess about half  the 
feeding value of  corn. 
At one time successful experiments were conducted in cassava culture 
on high pine land (sand) and also on wet muck land at the Government 
Experiment Station at Runnymede, near Narcoossee. These experiments 
proved conclusively that this tuber can be produced very profitably at St. 
Cloud and in the neighboring districts. In fact, it can be raised with safety 
and profit all over the Florida peninsula. 
Cassava can be made to yield from five to 15 tons per acre under 
favorable conditions, but on very light, sandy soils, where no fertilizers are 
used, the yield may not exceed two to three tons to the acre. Muck lands 
sometimes produce heavy crops, altho not of  such good quality as that 
grown on fertilized sand land. A fertilizer strong in nitrogen and potash is 
needed for this crop when grown on pine lands. Blood, bone and potash 
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sown broadcast and harrowed in at time of  planting would be a good 
starter. Then nitrate of  soda would make the plants jump if  distributed 
judiciously at different times along thru the Summer. 
A Large Producer. 
Twice as much cassava can be grown on an acre of  land as either sweet 
or Irish potatoes, and with less trouble. The roots are generally left in the 
ground until needed for use, the same as sweet potatoes, and need no 
preparation except cutting into small pieces before being fed to stock. A 
better plan is to crush the tubers, which are brittle, with mallet or hammer; 
better because some greedy animals are liable to choke themselves on 
pieces which are cut or sliced.
Where choking occurs the animal should be thrown to the ground and 
held down while someone runs their hand and arm down its throat, thus 
removing the obstruction. This can generally be accomplished without 
much trouble or loss of  time. 
All kinds of  stock are fond of  this carbonaceous root, it being especially 
valuable as food for milch cows, stimulating a flow of  milk without adding 
the obnoxious flavor which usually accompanies the feeding of  turnips, 
ensilage, cottonseed meal and the like. Fed with or without grains, this 
valuable dairy food can be used liberally without danger of  injury to milch 
cows, while for fattening purposes it is well calculated to keep stock in 
prime condition without the use of  grains.
Hogs are sometimes fattened on a ration of  corn, sweet potatoes, and 
cassava, and will almost invariably turn from corn to feed on cassava after 
becoming accustomed to the latter. Experiments show that cassava is much 
more valuable for hog feed than sweet potatoes, and as hogs are unlikely 
to become choked from eating whole roots, it is a common practice to turn 
them loose in the field, where they can help themselves. 
This is not, however, the most economical method of  feeding, as roots 
that are pulled out of  the ground and left soon decay; but after the main 
crop is gathered there are always more or less pieces of  roots remaining in 
the ground which hogs can very profitably harvest. 
In Florida cassava and sweet potatoes, two of  our chief  sources of  
carbohydrates, are thought by some to be very valuable when fed alone or 
in combination to growing pigs. Experiments, however, have proved that 
this food is too carbonaceous for young pigs, and should be fed with some 
such nitrogenous food as cowpeas, velvet beans, peanuts or shorts. Hogs 
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fed on cassava exclusively fatten very rapidly at the expense of  growth and 
quality of  pork. After the animals have reached a considerable size they 
may be fed large quantities of  cassava alone with satisfactory results, altho 
small rations of  corn fed a few weeks before butchering will add much 
to the quality and firmness of  the pork. It is estimated by some cassava 
enthusiasts that it is worth about $16 per ton for fattening beeves and 
about double this amount for hog feed. 
For Starch and Meal. 
For many years cassava has been employed to some extent for making 
starch for domestic use, but it was not until lately that the manufacture of  
starch on a commercial scale was undertaken in Florida. There are now 
factories in various sections of  the State which do a profitable business in 
this line. At the Shaker Colony in Osceola County an excellent article of 
tapioca as well as starch has been successfully prepared for home use. 
For domestic use cassava is sometimes sliced thin, dried in the sun, 
then ground in a coffee or spice mill. This farina or meal makes good 
muffins, biscuits, or battercakes when used in I combination with eggs and 
milk. Boiled, sliced, and baked with sugar and spice, it rivals the “sugared 
sweet potato.” Custards, fritters and puddings made of  grated cassava are 
O. K. Grated cassava is sometimes used on the table the same as plain 
boiled rice, altho not so palatable as the latter. 
On account of  its deficiency in nitrogenous matter, cassava cannot be 
expected to take the place of  cereal flour for domestic use; nevertheless, the 
majority of  Brazilians use it extensively for bread, simply grating the root 
and adding a little salt and soda. 
It is said that fully 30 per cent of  the weight of  the fresh root can be 
obtained as glucose, and when properly extracted, from 20 to 25 per cent 
of  high-grade starch similar to that made from maize. Next to sugarcane 
and oranges cassava could probably be made one of  our best money crops 
in Florida, giving quick returns, especially, when fed to stock or dairy cows. 
It makes excellent bread when mixed half  and half  with wheat flour.  
Arrowroot. 
This nutritious root, grown so successfully on the Bermuda Islands for many 
years, is well adapted for our Florida sand lands, and likewise for our rich 
muck lands. Like cassava it is easy to raise, and like sweet potatoes every 
portion of  the plant is good for something. The tops can very profitably 
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be fed to poultry, while hogs will tumble over each other in their efforts to 
reach the arrowroot pile. While cassava keeps good in the earth only when 
undisturbed, arrowroot will remain sound and sweet for a long time, even 
after hogs have chewed a portion of  the root. 
The arrowroot plant, with its slender, branching stalks and long, green 
leaves, makes a handsome field crop, being also well adapted for resisting 
droughts. 
Easily digested, arrowroot flour has long since found favor as a 
wholesome, delicate human food. Its mollifying properties make it especially 
valuable for infants and for use in the sick-room. Who has not beard of  
arrowroot pap? Splendid puddings and custards are evolved from this root, 
while it also produces the finest flavored tapioca known to commerce. 
In making starch and tapioca, the arrowroot, after being thoroly 
washed and peeled, is reduced to a pulp. It is then dropped into water and 
cleaned of  all fibers by being strained thru sieves, the starch eventually 
settling to the bottom. By placing the starch on hot metallic plates it is 
converted into tapioca globules or balls. The arrowroot is dried in the sun 
or in drying houses, and is exported in tin cases, barrels or boxes, which 
are carefully sealed.  
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