282 Subtropical Vegetable-Gardening 



leafstalk joining the leaf blade at the base instead of near 

 the middle. Most varieties have no stem above ground, 

 and the height of leaves and leaf-stalks varies from one to 

 eight feet. Most taniers produce many white, yellow, or 

 pink tubers on the sides of the main root-stock, and it is 

 these tubers which are chiefly used for food. A tuber 

 may weigh up to two pounds or more, and one plant may 

 yield over four pounds of tubers. Many varieties also 

 produce abundant suckers. The tanier is preferable 

 to the taro as a starch-producer, and rivals the cassava 

 in this respect. It contains about the same amount of 

 carbohydrates as the sweet potato, but mainly starch. 

 One of the best varieties is the tanier with white tubers, 

 called Rolliza in Porto Rico. This matures its crop in 

 about eight months and would probably be valuable for 

 south Florida, and other subtropical countries. The 

 tubers keep well in the ground, but dry up in the air. 

 They are eaten boiled or baked, like Irish potatoes. 

 The young leaves are cooked as greens. 



The tanier is usually propagated by cutting off the head 

 of the rootstock with a few inches of the leaf-stalks, and 

 using these as sets. It may also be reproduced by planting 

 small tubers, or by cutting up the main root-stock into 

 pieces. The sets may be planted in rows 4 to 6 feet apart 

 and at distances of If to 3 feet in the row, according to 

 the variety. This would give from 2400 to 7000 plants 

 approximately to the acre. The yield may be as much as 

 seven to fifteen tons to the acre in good soil. 



Bulletin. 



The Yautias or Taniers, Porto Rico Exp. Sta. Bulletin 6, 1905. 



