19 



head, and when boiled or baked they have a great resemblance 

 to the sweet potato, but are more delicate in flavour and more 

 nutritious. When the tubers are taken out of the ground the 

 top is cut off and re-planted, the remainder or largest portion 

 is used, and it is said that the tubers may be stored for a con- 

 siderable time without injury. Of this plant we have now 20 

 varieties in cultivation. They were received from the West 

 Indies by the kindness of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 

 West Indies, and we shall have a number of plants for distri- 

 bution in the early spring. A variety of this plant is cultivated 

 by the natives under the name of Amadumbi. 



Manihot, spp. Order Euphorbiace^. 



In my last report I stated that I had received from the 

 Director of Kew Gardens a bag of seeds of each of the two 

 new species of Manihot, viz., M. dichotoma and M. piauhyensis, 

 that a few had been sown here, and a greater portion divided 

 between two planters. Very many of the seeds were bad and 

 did not germinate, but we reared about 30 of M. dichotoma and 

 8 of M. piauhyensis. These were put out into the ground, and 

 we have now 16 of the former and 3 of the latter species. The 

 tallest plant of M. dichotoma is about four feet high, of M. 

 piauhyensis about three feet. Accounts which I have received 

 from other places agree with our experience, that is, the seeds 

 of M. dichotoma germinate more readily and the plants grow 

 faster than those of M. piauhyensis. Of the seeds given to 

 others for trial one recipient failed to rear any, but was after- 

 wards supplied with two plants of M. dichotoma for trial. The 

 seeds supplied to the Natal Estates Co., at Mount Edgecombe, 

 appear to have done better, more than 100 plants were reared, 

 most of which I understand are still alive, chiefly I think those 

 of M. dichotoma, but Hon. Marshall Campbell informs me 

 that bucks appear to be very fond of them, and that a number 

 of them have been damaged by the tops having been bitten off. 





