Remarks on the Culture of Exotic Vegetables. 411 



of ginger, will succeed in the production of arrow-root; but 

 being naturally an inhabitant of bogs and margins of run- 

 ning waters, it may require a more liberal supply of water. 



The farino, or Indian arrow-root, is prepared by pounding 

 or grating the tubers of this plant in water, and letting the 

 fecule settle, when it is to be collected, dried, and preserved 

 In bottles or jars for use. Nutritive. 



This plant was introduced to the colony in 1817. 



In order to obtain large tubers of the above plant, and to 

 insure a quick growth, it will be necessary to keep the beds 

 constantly moist, by throwing water over the beds of decayed 

 leaves by means of scoops or watering pots, from convenient 

 reservoirs of water, which is more to be preferred than the usual 

 mode of irrigation practised in the colony, whereby the water 

 is led on to the plants immediately from the spring, the cold- 

 ness of which retards, rather than forwards the growth of 

 many exotics ; on this important point I shall enlarge at some 

 future period ; it will be sufficient here to observe, that water 

 being a desideratum in many parts of the colony, its applica- 

 tion must be carefully attended to, in order to avoid unneces- 

 sary waste. 



The recommending the above plants to a more extensive cul- 

 ture than they meet with at present, is rather from a wish to 

 add to the domestic comforts of the community, than to render 

 them articles of exportation; but, in either case, it will serve to 

 improve the resources of the colony, and form a pleasing and 

 useful amusement to those who may devote their leisure hours 

 to such wholesome recreations. 



CASTANEA vesca. Chesnut. Castanie. Monoecia Po- 

 lyandria, Linn. Nat. Ord. Amentacese, Juss. 



Both for timber and fruit, the chesnut may be cultivated 

 more extensively than has hitherto been done in the colony ; 

 and, I should hope, with better success than appears to be 

 generally the case in this country, where the tree, being 

 planted in moist situations, can neither attain a large size, or 

 a very great age. A sandv loam, with a dry bottom, is most 

 congenial to its welfare; but it will grow in any soil on a dry 

 sub-soil. Planted singly, this tree spreads very much, but 

 when planted together in clumps, the main stem rises to a 

 considerable height. The timber is valuable in house carpen- 

 try, and when aged, can scarcely be distinguished from oak. 



To raise trees, and with a view to improvement, the largest 

 and roundest formed nuts should be selected, and sown in beds 

 of light earth, either in rows or broad-cast ; at twelve months 

 old they may be removed to nursery rows, where they may 

 remain to gather strength for the reception of grafts or buds, 



