300 



The largest, from no. 945 (page 301 figure 6), weighed 8 lbs., 14 oz. or 

 4025 grammes and out of the whole collection, among those containing 

 purple sap was the third in weight. No. 655 (page 301 figure 5), which 

 differed in very little, weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz. or 3770 grammes. These two, 

 being apparently of one race, will be kept in mind specially on 

 account of their combination of surface production and productive- 

 ness; but of their comestible qualities we know nothing as yet. 



Figures 3 and 4 on page 299 (of tubers numbered 3790 and IO56) 

 are reproduced to call attention to the way in which tubers vary 

 in rootiness. Both the two tubers are deeply penetrating, the longer 

 being 14 inches (35^ cm.) long. Another penetrating tuber was 

 grown, intermediate in rootiness and therefore not reproduced here, 

 (no. 1692), which with a length of 24 inches (61 cm.) had a weight of 

 only 3 lbs. or 1361 grammes. On the other hand no. 1055 (page i 

 figure 9) while penetrating only 8 inches (20 cm.) produced 4 lbs. 11 

 oz. (2125 grammes) of tubers, and no. 3793 penetrating 12 inches 

 i30^. cm.) produced 10 lbs. 5 oz. or 4678 grammes. 



The last mentioned had a prickly stem, and so had no. 3790 and 

 another very similar plant, no. 1019. It may be remarked that the 

 prickliness is not associated with any particular form or colour of 

 tuber, or any particular form of foliage. 



The lesser tubers grown were for the most part fingered in 

 various ways, e.g. nos. 1019, (page 299 figure 8) and 931, (page 299 

 figure 7) ; and for the most part they carried purple sap. The re- 

 lation of the extent of surface to flavour, etc., if any, has yet to be 

 determined ; but it is quite probable that there is some relationship. 



The Oebi merah of the Singapore markets, grown along with the 

 Philippine yams, ranked with the largest of the fingered ones; but it 

 differed in foliage very markedly, and yet more by producing a great 

 abundance of bulbils. 



There were among the Philippine yams two tubers (nos. 1040 and 

 1046) forked rather than fingered, 12 and 15 inches long, (30^ and 38 

 cm.) respectively, without purple sap, of a form which leads from the 

 simple elongated shape to the flat condition wherein branching occurs 

 in one plane only. Of flat tubers no. 103 1 (page 299 figure lO) was an 

 ex.imple. This flattening is probably to be considered as a fasciation. 



Two tubers only with uprising fleshy shoots were found. One is 

 figured which was received as "alata from Manila" (page 299 figure 6). 

 These uprising shoots appear in the end of one season, grow thick 

 and store food, to shoot out in the following season ; they are cases 

 of growth such as is usually made after the resting period being 

 made irt advance of it. In the figure two fleshy shoots may be seen 

 by the side of the old dying stem of the finished season. 



One of the plants with uprising shoots had purple sap and the 

 other had not. 



