38a 



ihciiisclvcs ill the iittc]u|»t to ,-irow. In 1!»1 K wlii'ii firs;! brou^'lit 

 mitlcr oliscrvatioii it prodiicril M tiilnT wci.uhiiii;- l?j, lbs. ( TIKJ-S 

 graimiu's). This lar-iv IiiIht was cut up and ivplaiitod returning 

 yams of various weights from l.").] Ihs. (:();51 .graniines) down- 

 wards, the average being only G lbs. l'^ oz. (;3062 grammes). Dug 

 then in Sei)tember, they had spronted very freely and prodnccd 

 long shoots, miieh depleting themselves before they could be plant- 

 ed again on November 29tii, li)lo. I'robably in consequence of 

 this in ]!)!(), and for a secoml time, the return, failed by a long way 

 to approaeh at all the promise of the first year, and was on the 

 average 6 lbs. 13 oz. (3090 grammes). If the reader is interested 

 enough to turn to p. 30? of tliis Bulletin (No. 9) he will observe 

 from the figures on the bottom line of the tainilar statement there 

 given witli M-hat rapidity the tubers hi 1915 when planted sent 

 their shoots above ground. No other yam of all then under obser- 

 \ at ion di<l the same. 



As a large number of plants had lieeii raised in 1916 some 

 tlirce liundred lbs. of tubers were distributed among the (iardens 

 lalioiir foree along with tuljers from other races for a comparative 

 test; and the report was made that this yam was better to eat 

 than the others. But in eonneetion with this there arises the 

 question as to whether the preference could be due to, some of the 

 flavour and softness depending u])on the more plastie condition of 

 the conteuts of the tuber in consequence of growth occurring, i.e. 

 on changes connected Avith the want of keeping power, rather than 

 to any excellence which would exist if a means of arresting the 

 growth were found. 



The tabular statement on j). 301, al)0\e referred to, shows 

 that as different parts of the tubers vary in keeping poM'or, by 

 se|»a rating the woody stem portion from the root portion the keep- 

 ing power of the latter can be increased. 



Yam Xo. 2 will 1)e the subject still of particular attention: 

 and it is at the same time a race of considerable interest on account 

 of the enormous number of upgrowing fleshy shoots that it puts 

 forth. The illustration unfortunately cannot be made to show the 

 rudimentary leaves which demonstrate these to be stems. 



Race Xo. 6 which is figured on the lower half of plate 3 is, 

 like the last, also of Singapore origin and similarly has many iip- 

 risijig fleshy shoots. But the keeping qualities are good, as a re- 

 ference to p. 307' will suggest, for the sets when planted took 37 — 

 1^5 days to send shoots above ground: and not a single set of the 

 race No. 2, which has been shown to be noteworthy for the rapidity 

 of its spouting, was later than th<^ earliest of its sets. The skin 

 of this yam, Xo. 6, is remarkably thin and very easily bruised, 

 and removed in flake-like pieces. Magenta sap occurs in the flesh 

 at all dei)ths. If not identical with^ a yam sold freely iu the 

 Rangoon markets as Myouk-u-ni, it is extremely similar. 



In 191(5 tlicre were i)!anted two groups of sets of tlie race, 

 which had been separated on account of a dilference in tiie in- 

 tensitv of the magenta colour observable iu 191.3: but unfortunately 



