208 



No. 4. Is a yam very similar to the former, but instead ot curling 

 it produces a long tapering and somewhat warty root, in form some- 

 what like an Indian club. It is a fair yam for the kitchen. 



No. 5. Is a very large, coarse and Avarty yam, and is one which 

 once planted is hard to exterminate. It is useless for table and can 

 only be used for feeding pigs or cattle. In its growth above ground, 

 however, it resembles the better varieties so much as to be almost 

 indistinguishable, except by those who are well acquainted with it. 



I have placed the white yam first because it is generally more 

 esteemed for taJale use. But personally I much prefer the yellow yam 

 which I call Jffi^^ oCtvo^ p. 



DiOSCOREA SATIVA, L. 4f 



The stem of this is cylindi'ical, glabrous, covered with prickles at unequal 

 distances below, and somewhat smooth above, leaves cordate, roundish — or cor- 

 date, deltoid, cuspidate, 5-7 nerved, basilar sinus, widely open, pellucid, dotted. 



There are one or two forms of this variety differing principally 

 in the shape of the root which in general is cylindrical but sometimes 

 becomes palmately branched at the base. It has a roughened and 

 bark -like exterior and a solid yellow flesh which is mealy and dry 

 when boiled. If in good condition this yam forms a better substitute 

 for the " Irish" potato {Solanum tuberosum) than any other variety. 



The word " Irish" is commonly used in the West Indies to dis- 

 tinguish this esculent from the sweet potato. 



Some Europeans prefer it as a vegetable to imported potatoes 

 even of the best kinds, but few will admit so much as this although 

 using it regularly owing to inherent conservatism of character. It is, 

 however, one of the best yams that is grown in the West Indies. It 

 takes nearly a month longer to ripen than Dioscorea alata, L., is very 

 hardy, will stand considerable drought, being quite at home on stony 

 hill-sides. I find Grisebach has included Dioscorea sativa, L., under 

 D. lutea, Mey, but according to the Kew determination of specimens in 

 the Trinidad Herbarium, Linnceus' name should be retained for the 

 yellow yam, and that of Dioscorea lutea, Mey, should be the proper 

 determination of the plant given by Nicholls as Dioscorea aculeata or 

 a plant the tuber of which is known as " Afou" yam. 



Dioscorea lutea, Met. ^ 



"Afou yam;" stem cylindrical, glaucous green, in young state prickly. 

 Leaves cordate-ovate, pointed, 7-9 nerved, abundantly dotted with pellucid 

 lines, basilar sinus open, lobes roundish, short. 



This is the " Afou" yam of Jamaica, a kind which is also known 

 as "half-a-yam" in Barbados and "yam a tout ans" in Trinidad. 



