TROP.'EOLACE/E. 9 1 



on debility, from whatever cause — and the cause may have 

 been cold — and ultimately perished. These are, however, in- 

 teresting and ornamental plants where they do well, and should 

 be tried freely in the more favourable parts of England and 

 Ireland in a variety of positions, till such time as experience 

 may accumulate and decide what is best for them ; and the 

 same has to be said for T. edule. They are tuberous-rooted 

 plants, some with bulky, short, or round tubers ; others with 

 thick, widely- extending, succulent roots, whence spring the 

 wiry climbing stems in all directions. They are all easily pro- 

 pagated by means of these roots, and by seed sown in pots in 

 a mild hot-bed in spring. They are all natives of South Ame- 

 rica, inhabiting chiefly moist shady places at greater or less 

 elevation above the sea. 



T. edule {Edibk-rooted T.) — This species climbs a height of 6 

 or more feet, with weak tortuous stems, clothed with milky-green 

 leaves, composed of five to seven narrow lance-shaped leaflets. 

 The flowers are solitary, one in each axil, deep yellow or orange. 

 It sometimes bears the 's>yvi. poly phyll urn, to which, however, 

 it has no claim, and is easily distinguished at a glance from 

 that species by its deeper-cut and more widely-spreading leaf- 

 lets, and its weaker and more tortuous-climbing stems. Native 

 of Chili ; flowering in summer ; and should be tried in shel- 

 tered warm places, in deep rich loam, with the protection of 

 litter fern or coal-ashes over the roots in winter. 



T. polyphyllum {Mafiy-leaved T.) — With the same colour of 

 flowers, this has different leaves from the last, and a sturdier 

 and shorter growth. The leaves are divided variously, but 

 generally the leaflets amount to ten in number, with the edges 

 quite close or overlapping each other, and they are deeply 

 glaucous. Perhaps from its trailing mode of growth it is better 

 adapted for culture on rockwork than against walls or other 

 supports. Native of Bolivia. 



T. speciosum. — 'This beautiful hardy herbaceous climber 

 is of comparatively recent introduction, having been brought 

 to this country from New Grenada about 1846 ; and notwith- 

 standing its rare grace and beauty, it is not yet very gener- 

 ally cultivated in private gardens. Only within the past few 

 years have its fine qualities been recognised, and a demand 

 sprung up for it among amateurs ; while professional gardeners 

 are even yet tardy in giving their recognition of its merits. A 

 plant such as this, it might be thought, with flowers of brilliant 

 scarlet, and foliage and habit of growth most graceful, and 

 withal hardy, would not be long in winning many admirers ; 

 and if some easy and quick mode of developing its beauty 



