12 THE SWEET POTATO. 



Hispanorum" of Clusius and Bauliin (and the Getica 

 of Piso). 



He gives an excellent illustration which tallies 

 with his description. 



In 1696 Plukenet (Almagestum Bot., p. 114) men- 

 tions the sweet potato under: Convolvulus Indicus, 

 Batatas dictus, following Ray. .He also gives the 

 names of Batatas Occidentalis Indiae, Inhame Ori- 

 entalis Lusitanorum, Park., and Conv. Indie, radice 

 tuberosa eduli, cortice rubro, Batatas dictus, P. B. P. 

 326. 



In the same year (1696) Commelin (Flora Mala- 

 barica) mentions the sweet potato, but simply gives 

 references. 



In 1705 Merian (Insectes de Surinam, p. 41) 

 describes under Battattes a climbing plant, with light 

 red tubers which taste like chestnuts. Her illustra- 

 tion shows a sweet potato vine with blue flowers, 

 twining through a rosebush. Each branch, bending 

 down to the ground again, takes root. Here then 

 we have a proof that the twining habit was observed. 



In 1707 Sloane (Jam. Nat. Hist., Vol. I, pp. 150- 

 151) describes the sweet potato thoroughly. In his 

 reference he quotes Plukenet as naming it Conv. 

 Malabaricus, which is wrong. Plukenet in the place 

 cited (Aim., p. 114) calls it Conv. Indicus. He says 

 that the plant flowers in Jamaica. "The Leaves 

 stand on five inch long green Foot-Stalks. They are 

 almost Triangular, having two Ears and a sharp 

 point opposite to the Foot-Stalk. They are five 

 Inches broad from Ear to Ear, and three from the 

 Foot-Stalk's end to the point, having under them 

 purple Eibs, being soft, smooth and of a yellowish 

 green color, something resembling the Leaves of 

 Spinage. The Flowers come out ex alis fol. stand- 



