f Report of the Commissioners of the Patent Office for 1855, issued 

 1856. Agriculture. 



This report contains much speculation and matter for future 

 examination. Of course it must partake of the "desultory," 

 as remarked in the preface, but it is suggestive and valuable. 

 The Sorghum saccharatum and Dioscorea batatas receive 

 high praise — perhaps not less than they deserve, though, with regard to the latter, 

 sufficient time has not elapsed to test its value, and many who have unhesitatingly 

 condemned it, have unfortunately purchased the wrong description of plant. Of 

 the Sorghum there are strong hopes, and, just now, these hopes are the more 

 cherished on account of the high prices of sugar and molasses. If any nation 

 can work out these problems, it will be the Americans, one of whose honest 

 mercantile captains assures us that, during his frequent trips to Canton, the 

 Dioscorea was one of the first things laid in on arrival. "Why, then, did you 

 not bring it home ?" " Because I never thought to do so !" He, and others, 

 probably never thought of its adaptability to our climate. 



The accounts of this plant differ because trials have been made with the small 

 axillary buds as sets, as well as another plant of similar appearance. The sets 

 from the axils of the leaves are necessarily slow. They are very ajjt to fail. Roots 

 of this yam, which had been made the sul)ject of four different experiments at the 

 Horticultural Society's Garden, London, were lately furnished for exhibition; 

 three had been planted out, six inches apart, in March. No. 1. Planted the 

 small axil tubers, about the size of marrow peas, six inches apart ; of thirty roots 

 taken up, the weight was 3 lbs. 3 ozs. No. 2. Planted small roots, from three to 

 four inches long but very slender, six inches apart ; of forty-eight roots taken up, 

 the weight was 10 ll)s. 12 ozs. No. 3. Larger sized roots, about five or six inches 

 long, and stouter than No. 2, were planted six inches apart; of eleven roots taken 

 the weight was 5 lbs. 12 ozs. No. 4. Cut roots, of different thicknesses 

 ted three inches apart ; of eighty roots taken up, the weight was 14 lbs. 4 



Vol. YII —Feb. 185t. 



