sturtevant's notes on edible plants 315 



says that at least 13 sorts are known at the Barbados. In the Mauritius, Bojer ' describes 

 the round and long forms, white and purple. At the present time, Vilmorin ^ describes 

 two varieties in France, and in 1863 ' Burr describes nine varieties in American gardens. 

 Of the varieties now known, not one type can be considered as modem in its appearance. 

 The sweet potato is mentioned in England by Gerarde," 1597, as growing in his garden 

 and he says they grow " in India, Barbarie and Spaine and other hot regions," a state- 

 ment confirmed in part by Clusius,' who states in 1601 that he had eaten them in Spain. 

 This plant ifmoticed by Monardes^ and by Lobel,^ 1570-76. Its cultivation has been 

 attempted in different parts of Italy but as yet, so Targioni-Tozzetti ' wTites, without 

 success. The sweet potato reached St. Thomas, off the African coast, before 1563-74. 

 In Ramusio,' we find in the Portuguese pilot's relation, " The root which is called by the 

 Indians of Hispaniola batata is named igname at St. Thomas and is one of the most essen- 

 tial articles of their food." 



Rimiphius '" says that the Spaniards carried this root to Manilla and the Moluccas, 

 whence the Portuguese distributed it through the Indian Archipelago. It is figured by 

 Rheede " and Rtmiphius ^^ as cultivated in Hindustan and Amboina. In Batavia, it was 

 cultivated in 1665." Firminger '* speaks of it as one of the native vegetables in coimnon 

 cultivation in all parts of India, the plant producing pink flowers with a purple eye. In 

 China, Mr. Fortune informed Darwin,'^ the plant never yields seeds. In the Hawaiian 

 Islands, Wilkes^* says there are 33 varieties, 19 of which are of a red color and 14 white. 

 In New Zealand, Tahiti and Fiji, it is called by the same name. In New Zealand, there 

 is a tradition among the natives that it was first brought to the island in canoes composed 

 of pieces of wood sewed together. 



Sweet potatoes are mentioned as one of the cultivated products of Virginia in 1648," 

 perhaps in 1610 ''and are mentioned again by Jefferson, *' 1781. They are said to have 

 been introduced into New England in 1764 and to have come into general use. John 



' Bojer. W. Hon. Maurit. 225. 1837. 



' Vilmorin Ls Pis. Po/og. 401. 1883. (Convolvulus batatas) 



' Burr, F. Field, Card. Veg. 99. 1863. 



* Gerarde, J. Herb. 2nd Ed. 926. 1633. 



' De Candolle, A. Geog. Bo/. 2:822. 1855. (Batatas edulis) 



' Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 754. 1879. (Convolvulus edulis) 



' Ibid. 



' Targioni-Tozzetti Journ. Horl. Soc. Land. 141. 1854. 



' Ramusio Ge. CoH. Voy. Portugese .^a. 1789. 



'" De Candolle, A. Geog. Bot. 2:822. 1855. 



" Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 754. 1879. (Convolvulus edulis) 



12 Ibid. 



" Churchill Co//. Faji. 2:303. 1732. 



"Firminger, T. A. C. Card. Ind. 157. 1874. 



" Darwin, C. Ans. Pis. Domest. 2:i$t,. 1893. 



Wilkes, C. U. S. Explor. Exped. 4:282. 1845. 



" Per/. Desc. 7a. 4. 1649. Force Coll. Tracts 2:1838. 



^^ True D eel. Fa. 13. 1610. Force Coll. Tracts 3 : 1 844. 



1' JeSerson Notes Va. 54, 55. 1781. 



