No. 144.] 599 



in the fi)rm of a porridge or soup. The ancient Romans are said 

 to have caused them to germinate before cooking, in order to de- 

 velope their saccharine qualities. 



PLANTS CULTIVATED CHIEFLY FOR THEIR TUBERS OR ROOTS. 



Potato seed (Solanum Tuberosum), from Germany, obtained 

 from the apples, or balls of the potato haulm. The importance 

 of experimenting with seed and the mode of culture are treated 

 at length in another part of this report. 



Fluke 'potato^ from England, a superior variety much esteemed 

 at Liverpool for its flat shape, fine qualities for domestic use, and 

 for long Ijeeping. It bears late planting, yields well, and has 

 never been known to be much affected by the rot. In order 

 fairly to test its adaptation to the middle or Northern States, it 

 would require to be cultivated for several years. 



Regent potato — the potato of London market. It is roundish 

 in shape, of good size, having a yellowish, rough skin, dry, mealy, 

 of excellent flavor, and light colored within. It matures rather 

 early, keeps well during the winter and spring, and is productive 

 in its yield. 



Lapstone Kidney potato, a fancy variety lately originated in 

 Yorkshire, England, by a shoemaker. From its slight resem- 

 blance in shape to a lapstone it has acquired its name. It is ra- 

 ther small, smooth, and light-colored without, and perfectly white 

 and flour-like within when cooked. 



Early White potato, from England, another fancy variety, of 

 small size, finger-shaped, and early to mature. 



Chinese Yam (Dioscorea batatas), proposed as asubstitute for 

 the common potato, and appears to be particularly worthy of a 

 place in the kitchen garden, as well as in field culture, on ac- 

 count of its perfectly feculent flavor and the absence of any after- 

 taste of sweetness, acidity, or spiciaess, such as is often found in 

 other plants; as also on account of the ease with which it can be 

 cultivated and multiplied, and the facility of preserving it from 

 decay. These are the important points by which, if once adopted, 

 it must be judged; and whence its cultivation will be extended 



