756 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



are furnished with numerous rootlets and almost imperceptible 

 buds, from each of which a plant may be produced. They descend 

 almost perpendicularly into the ground, attaining a length of from 

 2 to over 3 ft, their growth being most active in the latter end of 

 autumn. Being perfectly hardy, they may be left in the ground 

 during the winter, and will increase very much in size in the course 



of the second year, but their 

 quality is not then so good 

 as at the end of the first 

 year. The lifting of the 

 rhizomes is a rather difficult 

 and expensive operation, as 

 they are rather brittle, and, 

 in order to take them up 

 whole, the ground must 

 often be dug to the depth 

 of a yard or more round 

 each root. This is probably 

 the reason why the plant 

 is so little cultivated in 

 Europe, as it is very hardy 

 and productive, and the 

 rhizomes will compare 

 favourably with Potatoes. 

 The flesh is white, light in 

 texture, mild in flavour and 

 easily cooked. The rhizomes 

 keep well and for a very 

 long time. 



CULTURE. The Yam 

 succeeds well in very good, 

 moist, and sufficiently dug 

 soil, and may be propagated 

 by means of the axillary 

 bulblets, or from rhizomes, 

 either whole or cut into 

 portions. The method which 

 generally produces the most 



Chinese Yam (* naturalize.; ^^ ^ abundant resuhs 



is to plant whole rhizomes, from 8 to 10 in. long and about 

 as thick as one's finger. It is advisable to furnish the plants 

 with stakes or other supports to climb on, as the ground is 

 then more easily hoed. In very dry weather, watering is very 

 beneficial, as the Yam likes moisture and stops growing when it has 

 not a sufficient supply of it. In November the time arrives for 

 lifting the rhizomes, and if the soil is deep and rich enough; one 



