418 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



When this yam is dug, a small piece of the 

 top is cut off, and left upon the vine, which 

 is carefully moulded up, and in three months 

 it produces another yam, commonly called 

 the head ; from which the plant is propa- 

 gated by cutting it into pieces, taking care 

 to leave an eye on each cutting, by which 

 they germinate. These are planted on little 

 hillocks of earth, from January to April, and 

 the yams are fit for digging in August, Sep- 

 tember, and October. In each hillock a 

 pole of about eight feet high is planted for 

 the vine to run upon ; hence a field of yams 

 has the appearance of a hop-garden. Those 

 that grow wild in the Liguanea mountains 

 are yellow within, and so bitter that they are 

 seldom eaten. 



The Alata, winged, is called the white or 

 bockra yam ; these are much more delicate 

 and agreeable food than the former, and on 

 account of their lightness, and easy digestion, 

 are preferred to bread by many inhabitants 

 of the West Indies. If well dried in the 

 sun, and covered with ashes, they will keep 

 in a dry situation for several months. They 

 are generally called white yams, from the 

 superior whiteness of their inside; some of 



