NEW 1'OOD PLANTS. 37 



so that on taking up the hinder tubercles it continues its growth 

 in front, which gives rise to the saying that if the plant had only 

 time enough, it would make the tour of the world. 



The bulb of Gastrodia sesamoides (R. Brown), a curious her- 

 baceous species of orchis, native of New Holland, is edible, and 

 preferred by the aborigines to potatoes and other tuberous roots. 

 Some of my accredited informants believe it might be turned to 

 profitable account, but being a parasitic plant, it could scarcely be 

 systematically cultivated. It nourishes in its wild state on loamy 

 soil in low or sloping grounds. The first indication of its vege- 

 tation in the spring, is the appearance of a whitish bulb above the 

 sward, of an hemispherical shape, and about the size of a small 

 egg. The dusky white covering resembles a fine white net, and 

 within it is a pellucid gelatinous substance. Again within this is 

 a firm kernel, about as large as a Spanish nut, and from this a fine 

 fibrous root descends into the soil. It is known in Van Diemen's 

 Land, and other parts of Australia, by the common name of 

 native bread. Captain Hunter, in his Journal of the Transactions 

 at Port Jackson on the first settlement of the Convict Colony, 

 speaks of finding large quantities of "wild yams," on which the 

 natives fed, but the roots were not bigger than a walnut ; there- 

 fore it was probably this plant. 



Arracacha esculenta, of Bancroft and Decandolle (Conium Arra- 

 cacha). This perennial herb is a native of South America, which, 

 from its salubrious qualities, is extensively cultivated in the moun- 

 tains of Venezuela and other parts of tropical and Southern 

 America, for culinary purposes. It is propagated by planting 

 pieces of the tuberous root, in each of which is an eye or shoot. 

 The late Baron de Shack introduced it into Trinidad, from Caraccas, 

 and it has thence been carried to the island of Grenada. It 

 throve there remarkably well, but has been unaccountably neg- 

 lected. He also sent roots of this valuable plant to London, 

 Liverpool, and Glasgow. Although it bears cold better than the 

 potato, it requires a warmer and more equal temperature than 

 most of the countries of Europe afford. It would, however, make 

 an excellent addition to the culinary vegetables of many tropical 

 countries, uniting the taste of the potato and parsnip, but being 

 superior to both. 



The arracacha has been introduced into the South of Europe, 

 not as a substitute for, but as a provision against a failure of the 

 potato crop. It is highly recommended by the Bev. J. M. "Wil- 

 son, in the " Rural Encyclopedia." 



Stevenson (" Travels in South America," vol. ii., p. 383) says the 

 yucas (cassava), camotes (sweet potatoes), and yams cultivated at 

 Esmeraldas and that neighbourhood, were the finest he ever saw. 

 " It is not uncommon for one of these roots to weigh upwards of 

 twenty pounds. At one place I saw a few plants of the yuca 

 that had stood upwards of twenty years, the owner having fre- 

 quently bared the bottom of the plants and taken the ripe roots, 

 after which, throwing up the earth again, and allowing a sufficient 



