Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 265 



Irmla Helenium, Linne". 



The Elecampane. Middle and Southern Europe, Middle Asia 

 eastward to Japan. A perennial herb. The bitter and somewhat 

 aromatic root, for the sake of its stimulating and tonic properties, 

 used in medicine. It contains also the amylaceous inulin and the 

 crystalline helenin. With many other large herbs adaptable for 

 scenic effects. 



Ipomoea Batatas, Poiret.* (Batatas edulis, Choisy.) 



The Sweet Potato. Tropical South-America. First brought to 

 Europe from Brazil. It has proved well adapted also for the 

 southern part of Australia and for New Zealand. Thriving singularly 

 well even during seasons of drought in Central Australia ; weight of 

 tubers to 1 Ib. there not quite rare [Rev. H. Kempe.] The copious 

 starch from the tuber forms a good substitute for Arrow-root (or 

 rather Aru-root). The tuberous roots afford a palatable food, more 

 nutritious than ordinary potatoes ; when boiled they form an excellent 

 dish with fruit-jelly. Mr. W. Mussey says that sliced tubers can 

 easily be dried and the dried material be utilised for pies, puddings and 

 other dishes. The Sweet Potato has proved sufficiently productive 

 in the warmer regions of the colony Victoria. Varieties with red, 

 white and yellow roots occur. Each tuber weighs generally from 3 

 to 5 Ibs., but may occasionally attain to 56 Ibs. in adequate climes and 

 soils. Rich yield is 200 to 300 bushels from an acre. Becomes an 

 exhaustive crop. The total harvest of tubers in the United States 

 was estimated for 1886 to have been 40 million bushels, this culture 

 extending to 40 N. there [J. R. Dodge.] Propagation from small 

 tubers or stem-cuttings or tuber-buds. Professor Wittmack obtained 

 seeds from the ancient graves of Ancon. Queensland produced in 

 1893 12,640 tons from 3,000 acres [Hayter]. 



Ipomoea Batatilla, (4. Don. 



Cooler regions of Venezuela. The tubers serve as sweet potatoes. 

 I. platanifolia (Roemer and Schultes), from Central America, and 

 I. mammosa (Choisy), from Amboina, are similarly useful. 



Ipomcea Calobra, Hill and Mueller. 



Eastern Central Australia. Hardy in the South of France [Prof. 

 Naudin]. The stems cover the ground for a radius of several yards ; 

 the spots become picturesque by the showy large flowers for 8 months 

 in the year ; the tubers are formed at 4 or 5 yards' distance along 

 running roots, weigh from 5 to 30 Ibs., and are a fair esculent. The 

 plant likes a ferruginous loam [Rev. Dr. Woolls]. 



Ipomcea chrysorrhiza, J. Hooker. 



New Zealand, where it is called by the Maories, "Kuneara." 

 The tubers serve like those of I. Batatas, and several varieties are 

 distinguished in cultivation. It has been successfully cultivated at 



