JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1918. 19 



latter ' foreign yii.' I think these are a little more solid than the artichoke. 

 They are like the potato in substance, but more glutinous and quite different 

 in flavor. They are a substantial addition to a meal. The ' sprouts ' are 

 separated in the field, excepting in the ' ginger variety,' and it is these sprouts 

 which are planted for the nevi^ crop. In suitable soil and conditions the vege- 

 table is prolific. The crop is harvested in the autumn in the district of Taichow 

 Sienku, Chekiang Province, whence these specimens came." 



45776. " Ong-yii, or red yii,, is a little red on the point, cooks a trifle 

 glutinous. The natives prefer these, and I have sent more of this kind. 

 It is a local variety.'"' 



45777. " Ong-hica-yil, or red floury yii, is very pink and cooks mealy. 

 It is a local variety." 



45778. " TsHh yii; also called Tsiang-yii or ginger yii because the ' na,' 

 or shoots and head, are more like the ginger root and do not divide 

 easily ; this sort is the only one of which I am sending the ' head,' as 

 the Chinese call it. The other specimens all have a head like this, but 

 more clearly separated from the root and easily broken off; whereas 

 this one must be divided by cutting. The natives say this particular 

 one will divide in five pieces for planting. The ginger yii cooks 

 mealy." 



45779. " TsHng yii, or blue yii, is a little bluish on the point and stalks 

 and has a large leaf. This variety also cooks mealy, but is said to 

 be better to eat after keeping a few months. It keeps well." 



45780. " Ta-yii, or large yii, has a large head and few sprouts ; also 

 mealy." 



" This taro roughly resembles the Trinidad dasheen in leaf char- 

 acters, though the petioles have lighter markings, like those of the 

 'amadumbe' [S. P. I. No. 3G0.57] from Rhodesia. Wlien cooked the 

 corms and cormels (lateral tubers) are slightly yellowish and of 

 smooth texture. Both are rather moist, and yet the corms are some- 

 what mealy and very pleasing to the taste. They improve in quality 

 after being dug. The corms are elongated and regular in form and 

 weigh about a pound each. The tubers are small, weighing only from 

 1 to 3 .ounces each." {R. A. Young.) 



45781. "Wong-yii, or yellow yii; point a little yellow; glutinous." 

 "The leaf stems of the yellow yii are blackish maroon. The corra 

 is roundish and when cooked is moist, soft, and light colored with a 

 tinge of violet at top. The cormels are rather small and when cooked 

 are moist and soft. Both corms and cormels lack flavor." (/?. A. 

 Young. ) 



45782. "U-ken-yil, or black-stalked yii; the stalk is black and. moi-e 

 nearly round. This is the earliest variety and is glutinous." 



" The corms of this variety are tough when cooked and unfit for table 

 use! The cormels, or tubers, are of fair size but are soft, pasty, and 

 flavorless. The plant is small growing and the leaf stems blackish 

 maroon." {R. A. Young.) 



45783. " Ong-htca-yii, or red floury yii, is a variety having the same name 

 as S. P. I. No. 45777, but the sprouts come out in a different way." 



2 Upon being grown, the tubers listed as S. P. I. No. 45777 proved to be a variety of 

 Colocasia antiquorum (L.) Schott. 



