ALBERT R. MANN 
 LIBRARY 
 
 New York State Colleges 
 
 OF 
 
 Agriculture and Home Economics 
 
 AT 
 
 Cornell University 
 
; SB 351.D2Y75"'"'*'^'»»>"-ibrary 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003407461 
 
Issued January 20, 1914. 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture, 
 
 BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY, 
 Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction, 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C. ,j^ LlbKAf 
 
 !i AUG - S JQa „ 
 THE FORCING AND BLANCHING OF O^SHEEN SHOOTS. / 
 
 Bj' Robert A' Young, Scientific Asshtanf. a,v, 
 
 .^cut^^^ 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 As the growing of the dasheen as a tuber crop begins to assume 
 commercial proportions, it seems desirable to make available to 
 growers and others who may be interested the details of a special 
 treatment of the corms (large spherical tubers) by which a delicate 
 fresh vegetable for winter use may be obtained. Brief reference was 
 made to this, the forcing and blanching of the shoots, in a recent 
 publication on the dasheen.^ Credit is due to Mr. P. H. Dorsett, of 
 the Bureau of Plant Industry, for the original suggestion of raising 
 the shoots in this way. Other workers associated with the bureau 
 have also contributed helpful suggestions during the progress of the 
 experiments. Acknowledgment is also due to Dr. J. H. Kellogg, 
 Battle Creek, Mich., for carrying out the extensive greenhouse-bench 
 experiments illustrated in this paper. 
 
 The young blanched shoots of the dasheen make a very tender and 
 delicious vegetable and are used much like asparagus. The flavor 
 is delicate and is suggestive of mushrooms. In order to destroy a 
 slight acridity, a special method of cooking is required, which is 
 described on another page. 
 
 CULTURE. 
 
 To obtain the shoots, corms (fig. 1), weighing 2 to 3 pounds or 
 more, are planted in a fairly warm place in very moist sand or sandy 
 soil. A half-and-half mixture of sand and ordinary potting soil has 
 given good results. Wet sphagnum moss has also been used, but 
 the sandy soil is probably better. The corms are just covered, the 
 terminal bud being at the surface. Provision must be made for 
 keeping the shoots in total darkness from the time they begin to 
 grow (figs. 2 and 3) . Water should be supplied often enough to keep 
 the sand or soil continuously moist. 
 
 1 Young, Robert A. The dasheen, a root crop for the Southern States. D. S. Depart- 
 ment of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry, Circular 127, 12 pp.. 1913. 
 24396—14 
 
2 FORCING AND BLANCHING OF DASHEEN SHOOTS. 
 
 8e\t'i!il ways of forcing and blanching dasheen shoots have been 
 tried and all haxc been successful in that satisfadory shoots were 
 grown. In any instance, however, in which the raising of shoots 
 is to be undertaken, llio method best adapted shdiild be selected. In 
 
 o24 
 
 Flo. 1. A iliisl iicuiiii wi'iv:hiii^: ni'iirly 5 pounds 
 
 of J 10 3j poiiiuls n'Cight lire used for forcing. 
 
 (he fir.s( cxpciinicnts iiiado by the 1 )i'par(iiiont of Agri>'ulture, both 
 sand and sphaginnn iimss wore used in whiih to plant tho oornis. In 
 one of (licsc blaniliing was accomplished by keeping the shoots 
 covered with sand, while ii\ tlic dduTs a frame coxcrod with several 
 
FOKCING AND BLANCHING OF DASHEEN SHOOTS. 
 
 Fig. 2.— Dasheen shoots forced in a box, with hottom heat, and blanched by being inclosed in a burlap- 
 covered frame. The shoots at the right are from corms planted in wet sphagnum moss, while those 
 in the center and at the left are from corms planted in wet sand. 
 
 Fig. 3.— a bed of dasheen corms in a greenhouse at Battle Creek, Mich. The board covering in course of 
 construction is for the purpose of blanching the shoots, which will begin to appear in three to tour 
 weeks. The corms were planted about the middle of January. 
 
4 FOEOING AND BLANCHING OF DASHEEN SHOOTS. 
 
 thicknesses of burlap was used (fig. 2). The boxes in whifh these 
 experiments were carried on were placed in a warm greenhouse on a 
 bench that was supplied with bottom heat. 
 
 Neither of the foregoing methods is adapted for use where the pro- 
 duction of shoots on a large scale is desired. For such a ca-e. pro- 
 
 Fio. 4.— Tlici mim Ijcnch shown in nKiiic :i wlili ilio cmorint! niuovfil, loss Ihnn six wTckii lnor. Itb 
 usually hi'lliT (() cut Iho alnmls bidnc Ihi' h'livi's rxpninl us inudi n» liny lii>\o In Ibe cv| orimcnt 
 hen' Bhiiwn. ( Pbotograpliod by Ihi' lliillli' ( m>k Sanitarium.) 
 
 vided (he wciithcr is nut Ion cokl and a siiitiililo jxrcciihoiiso i-. av;iil- 
 iibli'. a lii'd limy lie |)rci)ai«Ml under n licnch. I'hc space may be 
 diirkciu'd bv liaiigiiifi; scNcral Ihifkncsscs of licavv paper or burla]) 
 from the sides of the liciicli. I'lus plan is suited to tin- sprint- of the 
 year, while tliose methods by wliich Imttoni lieal can be applied may 
 
FORCING AND BLANCHING OF DASHEEN SHOOTS. 
 
 be used at any time after the corms become available, in the late fall 
 or early winter. 
 
 The method which is probably best for large-scale production is to 
 use a raised bed provided with bottom heat (fig. 3). A cover, prac- 
 tically light proof and with sides 18 to 24 inches high, is required. 
 The temperature inside 
 this should be about 
 70° F. The soil (or 
 sand) should be a little 
 warmer, say, 80°. To 
 obtain this temperature 
 it is best to partially in- 
 close the space beneath 
 the bed. 
 
 The first crop of 
 shoots is usually ready 
 for cutting in 35 to 40 
 days after planting. 
 From 6 to 10 cuttings 
 can be made at inter- 
 vals of 10 to 14 days, 
 depending upon tem- 
 perature and the size of 
 the corms used. The 
 shoots are cut close to 
 the corm, and, as far as 
 practicable, before the 
 leaves begin to expand 
 (fig. 4). They will 
 then usually be 8 to 16 
 inches long. 
 
 After the corms be- 
 come exhausted, which 
 is indicated by the weak 
 growth of the shoots, 
 they are discarded. 
 
 Out of doors in a 
 warm region, as in 
 Florida, the corms may 
 be planted in rows in 
 sandy soil and the 
 shoots blanched by ridging up the soil as growth progresses. Instead 
 of ridging the soil, boards may be used, as in blanching celery, but the 
 shoots must not at any stage of their growth be exposed to light for 
 any considerable length of time. 
 
 fiG. 5. — A bunch of forced dasheen shoots, 7i inches long. These 
 shoots must be kept in a cool, dry place or they will wilt and 
 turn brown. In the raw state they are acrid, but when cooked 
 they are as delicate as asparagus. 
 
b FORCING AND BLANCHING OF DASHEEN SHOOTS. 
 
 HANDLING AND KEEPING. 
 
 The shoots ha\e been found to keep well for several days if in a 
 cool, dry place. As tliey are very succulent, however, it is better that 
 the peril id of storage be very limited — not over two to four days when 
 avoidable. A little ventilation is necessary, but as the shoots soon 
 wilt if e\ iiporation is too rapid a paraffined paper should be used in 
 wrapping and a slight opening left. 
 
 Scimetimes, when the shoots are to be kept for only a day or two 
 before using, it may be advisable to wrap first in wet paper and then 
 with paraffined paper, especially if the plaie where they are to be 
 kept is not quite cool enough. 
 
 In figure 5 is shown a bunch of dasheen shoots ready for cooking. 
 Those that were too long have been cut down to an average length. 
 
 USES. 
 
 As dasheen shoots ;ue somewhat acrid, they should never be tasted 
 raw. Lemon juice in a little water has been found effective in reliev- 
 ing the irritation when the shoots are accidentally eaten. 
 
 The following recipes, although prepared with a good deal of care, 
 are not considered as final, and it is hoped that housewives and others 
 will try modifications of them : 
 
 (1) Cut the shoots Into 2-inch lengths, pour on an abundance of boiling water. 
 Mcld salt, and boil for 12 minutes; drain, pour on enough cold milk' so that the 
 shoots will be completely covered when it boils, season with salt, and boll for 
 .5 minutes; drain, season with butter, and serve on toast, or plain. Cream Kiuoe 
 may be used In serving, if desired. 
 
 (2) Instead of boiling in milk after draining off the first water, add a little piece 
 of bacon or other fat meat," and then cover the shoots with cold water, season 
 with salt, and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and serve. 
 
 Approxed : 
 
 Wm. a. T.VYUIl!, 
 
 '' 'Jiief of Bureau. 
 
 J.VNUARY 6, 1914. 
 
 ' The pui-poee In usin« cold milk or water after the first boiling Is to prevent the shoots 
 from becoming too soft. 
 
 "The fat of the milk or mi'at seisms to assist In destroying the acridity. 
 
 o