CHAP. I. CULINARY VEGETABLES. 123 



French Consul, who sent it from Shanghai to France, no doubt 

 would apply equally well to all other kinds of Yam grown in 

 this country : 



" For propagation the smallest roots are set apart. In the spring 

 the roots are taken out and planted in furrows pretty near each 

 other, in well-prepared ground. They soon sprout and form pro- 

 strate stems, which are made into 'cuttings as soon as they are six 

 feet long. As soon as the cuttings are ready, a field is worked into 

 ridges, along each of which is formed a small furrow, in which the 

 pieces of the stem are laid down and covered with a little earth, 

 except the leaves. If the weather is rainy the cuttings strike im- 

 mediately ; if dry they must he watered till they do strike. In 

 fifteen or twenty days the roots hegin to form, and at the same time 

 lateral branches appear, which must be carefully removed from 

 time to time, or the roots will not grow to the proper size." * 



Mr. J. Henderson, of Kingskerswell, South Devon, likewise 

 gives the following practical directions : 



" The manner in which the Chinese cultivate it is extremely 

 simple. The earth is first formed into ridges, when small tubers or 

 portions of large ones are planted on the top, at about three feet 

 apart ; after the plants have attained a little strength, the shoots 

 are spread over the sides of the ridges, and pegged down at the 

 leaf end, six or eight inches from each other (care being taken to 

 cover the joints or parts pegged down with a portion of earth), 

 when they soon strike root and throw out tubers ; by this means' 

 immense quantities of roots, of the size of early-framed kidney 

 Potatoes, are raised on a comparatively small piece of ground. The 

 above is the ordinary Chinese mode of culture ; but to obtain them 

 of a large size, small tubers, or portions, are planted on ridges, from 

 ten inches to one foot apart, and the plants are allowed to grow 

 freely till late in the autumn, when the foliage is cut away and 

 dried, or partially dried, and given to cattle ; the tubers by this 

 means attain on an average 1 Ib. and upwards in weight."f 



* Gardeners' Chronicle,' 22nd July, 1854. 

 t ' Gardeners' Chronicle,' 23rd December, 1854 



