522 FOURTH BULLETIN OP [1846 



Yams. — These grow in almost every part of India, but are much inferior to tlie 

 West India and Ceylon. Cocoa, a root of a similar species, aro grovn extensively 

 in the English settlements ol'lhe Straits of Malacca, and used in the same way as 

 we do potuloes. Tliey are capital farinaceous food when of good quality, and the 

 product very largo. Thoy aro quite as good as the West India root of the same 

 name. Radishes, of a !-ge species, are grown in the Malacca settlements and 

 Cliina, frequently weighing five and six pounds, of good flavor, and not pithy. 

 'I'liey are used by the Chinese in large quantities, the same as we do turnips, and 

 they are very sweet and nutritious. The tarro plant is also grown in Ciiina and 

 the Indian Archipelago, and forms a large staple of food for the lower class of 

 people. They were introduced from the South Sea Islands. Tlioy are grown on 

 jioor sandy soils. The olcra plant and tomatoes grow every where in India, but 

 they do not understand how to use them. They are generally put in curries.* 

 Carrots of a partindnrb/ fine species are grown in China. They are very sweet 

 .•:nd nutrilious. Tliey have not that rank, strong taste that ours have. They are 

 largr-ly used by the people here, as arc cauliflowers, cabbages, and other vegetables 

 we know of. Tl'.e cabbages are much used by them in the same way as the Dutch 

 sonrkrout. Tlie sweet potato plant forms a large item of consumption in China, 

 the Archipelago, and Malacca settlements. They are grown on the thin sandy 

 soils of China, by a constant system of high manuring with the contents of privies. 

 'J'he Chinese understand the art of manufacturing and applying manures to the 

 sod, better even than the English or Belgians. The business is a very extensive 

 one, and employs a great number of laborers, particularly in the gathering prepa- 

 ration and sale of human excrements aad urine. They have been acquainted with 

 lbs use of lime as a manure no one knows how long. All substances that cannot 

 hi readily manufactured are gathered up by numerous laborers among the poorer 

 classes, and sold to the farmers and manufacturers for being burnt to get the 

 ashes. 



Many of the trees of the East might be introduced into our Southern country. 

 I have never seen tiie " Pride of India" in this part of the world growing as large 

 as it does witii us; it seldom grows above ten feet. The wild mulberry I have fre- 

 quently seen. Tlie teak tree, tallow tree, and other beautiful shrubs and trees, may 

 be introduced willi great certainty of success, as they grow in precisely the same 

 latitudes as Louisiana and other Southern Slates. I have no dovibt the tea shrub 

 would grow in the <v)ol hills and rolling country of Texas, as they are in about tho 

 same latitude as the tea districts of China. It stands frost. 



The gardeners in China grow a kind of fruit called " Chinese plums," precisely 

 of the flivor of our persimmon, but as large as our largest tomatoes. It contains 

 eight or nine seeds, similar to the persimmon. These, and another fine fruit called 

 lichees, are grown very extensively in tho interior and middle of China. A small 

 lielicate kind of pumpkin, weighing about a pound each, is cultivated in tho noigh- 

 bijrliood of Nankin, and sold to a considerable extent. 



Thtre are so.;i ■ curious plants in New Holland, Van Dioman's land, and New. 

 Zealand, which might be introduced with us. There is a curious tree in New Hol- 

 land called the grass tree, which I understand is fed to cattlo and sheep. In New 

 Zealand they have a species of fir wliic.i produces at the roof.t a curious resin or 

 gum, partaking of the nature of copal and rosin. It has a slight tcrebinthine taste, 

 and burns witli a heavy thick flame. It is of liglit amber color, brittle, perfectly 

 transparent, and uf pleasant agreeable odor. It has been siiipped in considerable 

 quantilie.': to England within the last year. There is another species of tree in tho 

 same isl.inds which ])roduccs from the roots the celebrated New Zealand Qax, which 

 is largely exported to England and Australia. 



Most of the islands in the Archipelago are claimed by the Dutch, even to New 

 Guinea and Borneo ! It is only to be hoped that neither England, France, nor 



* Tlip fiillowinp: if n irnud rrcijie fcir ciirriiii, iiteil tliroiiRlinut Iiiiliu by F.iiropcnns ami naiivn, and 

 raii-ii Ki'li rice: I al<e iliive (iiji nue pi|i|ii r«, v.ij. tunniiic, in llii- rout, (ilii- puwdir don not kirp 

 gooil.) on*' Hn/.< n (rt-jjiniof liiack j)'-pper, out-- du/iii ^cviU orc(»rin..it r, n fiuiirtcrora c-ocon-nut i^nitrd, 

 a ffw f^niin* pinu aiu :tnd ouniiiiin it-fd, two (^ailits or oniuiiA, h i< \\ i^rains of iniislrnd •ii'cd, and n tuljlc 

 •pnonl'ul >rf' l>ulli'r. i'oiind nil ilic nrliclnin ii iiiorlur, iNCipliu); tlir l>uittr and cucua-niii, addin^n 

 liitlf water, until .educed to tlii' consislenceof heavy brov.n sn(,':ir. I'nl int.> yoiir currj a half pint of 

 «ati'r, and ihh, fltsh, ov fowlj that you "ish to lurry and Iwid fi>r fln hour. The cocoannt may br 

 • imntid, Jiut it i* a (rrrat addition. Stne your curry up wiih rice, und int the tame a> a ntcw. Any 

 kinil ot vi(trt:ilil«-« Mill' lir ^ulnliiuiid for ilic incau, m if ji^i] like put in iilon^ with tlicin. A (;ood 

 lurry it ojk of thi iiiu\I ikliiiiiUN lliingDinlhi world to rat, and furmi the every day nicala of Aiiatio. 



