ARRACA'CHA, Arracaaa esculenta, a plant of the natural order unibellifera, a native of the elevated table-lands in the neighborhood of Santa Fe de Bogota and Caraccas, and of regions of similar climate in other parts of tropical America. It is much cultivated in its native country for its roots, which are used as an esculent. The root divides into a number of parts, which resembles cows' horns or large carrots. When boiled, they are firm and tender, with a flavor not so strong as that of a parsnip. The plant is very like hemlock, and has a similar heavy smell. Humboldt, indeed, referred it to the genus corium (hemlock), but it has since been made the type of a new genus. The flowers are in compound umbels, and are of a dull purple color. The A. was at one time very strongly recommended as a substitute for potatoes; it was introduced into Britain through the exertions of the horticultural society, and its cultivation perseveringly attempted; but it has been found unsuitable to the climate of Britain and of other parts of Europe, where it has been tried, perishing on the approach of the frosts of winter without having perfected its roots. The dry weather of summer is also unfavorable to
it. The climate of the s. of Ireland resembles that of its native regions more than any other in the British islands. It seems to require a very regular temperature and constant moisture. There arc probably some parts of the British colonies in which the A. would be found a very valuable plant. In deep loose soils, it yields a great produce. It is generally propagated, like skirret. by offshoots from the crown of the root. By rasp ing the root and washing, a starch, similar to arrowroot, is obtained.—There is another species of the same genus, A. moschata, a native of the same regions, the root of which is uneatable.
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