CHINESE POTATO, OR JAPANESE YAM. 



should be planted the last of April, 

 or as soon as the ground is in good 

 working condition. Lay out the land 

 in raised ridges two feet and a half or 

 three feet asunder, and on the sum- 

 mit set the bulbs, or tubers, with the 

 point or shoot upwards, eight or ten 

 inches apart, and cover about an inch 

 deep. Cultivate in the usual manner 

 during the summer ; and late in au- 

 tumn, after the tops are dead, and just 

 before the closing-up of the ground, 

 take up the roots, dry them a short 

 time in the sun, and store in the 

 cellar for use. The roots are perfect- 

 ly hardy, and will sustain no injury 

 from the coldest winter if left unpro- 

 tected in the open ground. During 

 the second season, the growth of the 

 old root is not continued, but gradu- 

 ally decays as the new roots are 

 formed. 



Use. The roots are eaten either 

 boiled or roasted, and require rather 

 more than half the time for cooking 

 that is usually given to the boiling or 

 roasting of the common potato. When 

 cooked, they possess a rice-like taste 

 and consistency, are quite farinaceous, 

 and unquestionably nutritive and val- 

 uable for food. 



Though strongly recommended as a 

 vegetable likely to become a substitute 

 for the potato, the cost of preparing 



31 



Chinese Potato, or Japanese Yam. 



