YAMS 107 



Africa ; indeed those who have been many years in that 

 Colony inform me they prefer the Sweet Potato to our 

 common form. The growths of the Yam and Sweet 

 Potatoes are so distinct in different countries that it 

 would serve no useful purpose to describe them at 

 length. As a cultivated root I do not think the plant will 

 ever become a success in this country. The roots, or as 

 they should be more properly termed the rhizomes, are full 

 of starch and juice, and these differ from the Potato as they 

 go downwards in the soil perpendicularly often to the 

 depth of a yard if the soil is loose, and these plants in 

 suitable soil, when left to themselves, spread over the 

 ground and readily take root. The leaves of the plant 

 have been described as not unlike Byrony ; the flowers 

 are very small, and a pale yellow, produced in small 

 racemes at the axils of the leaves, and the roots may 

 be said to be club shaped of different colours mostly 

 dark or fawn colour. The flesh is white and milky. 



In China these roots have peculiar names, and the people 

 use them largely as food ; indeed as largely as the Potato 

 is used in this country. For seed purposes the smallest 

 tubers are preserved through the winter in pits well 

 lined with protecting material and covered over. In spring 

 they are taken out and sprouted by being placed close to- 

 gether in well-prepared soil. They then produce their 

 trailing stems, and these, when strong enough, are made 

 into cuttings, and planted in ridges they soon root in 

 moist weather and form tubers ; fresh stems also appear, 

 but these are removed as they rob the tuber. There are 

 several varieties of Chinese Yams, but they are of no 

 value in this country. The variety noted above is very 

 common in China, and this thrives so well that a 

 trench To to 15 feet long will often produce enough 

 roots to keep one man a whole year -, that is, there is 

 sufficient produce or roots for consumption for that 

 period. The plants are also increased by cutting in 



