98 Chitiese Yam. 



plumpest seeds of the finest varieties of Apples she might become pos- 

 sessed of, of which the Spitzenburgh and Swaar were and still are her 

 favorites. From these trees the vacancies (when not replaced by grafted 

 fruit) w^ere filled. The tree from which these specimens were taken stands 

 upon the bank of a muckish pond which gets some of the wash of the 

 yard ; it has borne ten or twelve years, and 1 have never known a season 

 when it did not bear a fair crop of fruit for the size of the tree. The 

 apples always hang singly and are very evenly distributed over the tree. 

 The fruit ripens gradually during the months of September and October, 

 and may be preserved till late in the fall, and can be used, here and there 

 one, by the middle of August. Its flesh is rather yellow^, firm and spicy, 

 rich flavor, excellent for cooking, and I think, when fully ripe, for eating, 

 la size they are rather above the medium, round, very smooth, and al- 

 ways fair. The stalk short and moderately stout, inserted in a rather deep 

 hollow. The color is a yellow ground, finely washed and streaked with 

 a bright and sometimes a dull red, and on almost every specimen one or 

 more deep green sjjots in the midst of red. You will see that some of the 

 specimens sent are quite green yet, and I picked off" some as ripe as the 

 ripest a month ago. In this respect I consider the , apple a decided 

 curiosity. 



The peculiarity of this variety, in offering for so long a period both ripe 

 and green fruit, makes it anamolous to its class, and would alone be suf- 

 ficient evidence to stamp it as entirely distinct from any other kind. Our 

 impression from the specimens sent us is quite favorable, and we do not 

 hesitate to recommend it to amateurs for further trial. A season or two 

 hence will better determine its value for general cultivation — Ed. 



CHINESE YAM— {Dioscorea Batatas.) 



This esculent is at present attracting considerable attention. M, de 

 MoNTiGNr, the French consul at Shanghae, first introduced it into 

 France when the potato disease created so much fearful anxiety. 

 Like all new and recently discovered vegetables, this novelty has been 

 much over estimated. M. de Monttgny's description would almost 

 induce us to abandon the Irish potato and seek its successor in this 

 tropical root. M. de Montigny is doubtless a speculator and a votary 

 of monstrosities, for pecuniary emolument. Professor Decaisxe sup- 

 ports M. de Montigny in his statements; and, between the two, Mr. 

 John Henderson, late a London nurseryman, has been induced to 

 devote his eff'orts to the cultivation of the Chinese Yam in England. If 



