3t6 Editorial Miscdlany. 



Mons. Payen said, that if we can obtain 40,000 killogrammes 

 per hectare, it would be an immense advantage gained for Agri- 

 culture. He desires of Mons. Remont to dry some of the Ignames 

 and ascertain their proportion of starch. He observed that it 

 was a remarkable circumstance in this elongated root, that the 

 Starch was far more abundant near its upper extremity than at 

 its base. That those cultivated in Algeria were more full of 

 Starch than any grown in France, and that like diiferences are 

 found in the Starch of the common Potatoes, which vary from 14 

 to 2t per cent, of Starch. 



Prof. Decaisne said, that during the last year, some of the 

 tubers produced It to 18 per cent, of Starch. 



Mons. Guerin Menneville said, that Mons. D'Montigny had sent 

 from China, Bxilbilles of several varieties of the Dioscorea. 



Messrs. Decaisne and Remont, pointed out a singularity in the 

 cultivation of this plant, quite remarkable, which is, that they hate 

 dung. The Chinese never use it in cultivating the Dioscorea ! 



As to the dijBficulty of getting out the crop their depth in the 

 ground being so considerable, Mons. Bourgeois said, a plow 

 can be made as well suited to plow them out as the plow 

 used for carrots. Mons. Remont says, he intends to try the culti- 

 vation of this new root in six of the Departments of France. 



Messrs. Bossin and Louesse, presented Dioscorea tubers grown 

 from the Bulbilles (little bulbs,) and others from the cuttings of 

 the root. 



Professor Decaisne presented small tubers of the Dioscorea 

 Batatas, and also of the Dioscorea Aroides, received direct from 

 China. The first are long roots with truncated ends ; the latter are 

 probably the Colorasse (species of Arum.) 



Endive. — It is very strange that Endive with us is only known 

 as a salad, dressed green with oil and vinegar, and yet how ex- 

 cellent a vegetable it forms, those who have visited the Paris 

 restaurants must well know. I have sent you the recipe to show 

 how it is cooked on the Continent, the bitterness removed, and an 

 excellent dish produced : — Chop up Chicoree, Endive, or Spinacli 

 very fine (cooks say for 10 minutes) ; boil it first, then put it 



