11 



The redundancy of the mighty Western Prairie fields will yield such ample 

 crops, that all other Nations may there obtain their wonted supplies, and thence- 

 forth a Depot for this Vegetable food will be established in connection with our 

 Western Granary of the World ! I shall iu a future publication discuss the effect 

 of this wise dispensation of Vegetable food in a Humanitarian point of view, and 

 will call for especial attention to the bodily and mental influence exercised by its 

 ameliorating character on the mild, peaceable, and happy Chinese people, who 

 never quarrel but are always calmly disposed ; whilst on the other hand we will 

 consider the brutal character of the British and other Nations who consume Meat 

 as food, and who as a result are ever ready for fight and carnage. 



Ignorant Cavillers and Doubters. 



It is really amusing to witness the stupid errors of that class of ignorant 

 cavillers, or rather of addle-headed doubters, of the merits of this great esculent, 

 who have called it a humbug as they have done with every other improvement. 



When first brought here, we of course received none but the tubers, which 

 produce roots only of moderate size the first year ; and the price being high, one 

 class of doubters would buy none, but raised a hue and cry against the plant. 

 Some few who did purchase, found great fault when the autumn came that they 

 did not have big roots, which can never be grown from tubers till the second year, 

 and they threw up its culture in disgust and cried out humbug. But very few 

 of them were planted in this State, and it seemed so impossible to convince 

 people that a Yam could be grown at the north, that I was compelled to call it a 

 Chinese Potato in order to induce any persons to plant it at all. Then we were 

 told that the Chinese trenched 4 to 5 feet, and some supposed that was the com- 

 mon mode of culture, when their usual culture is the same as in our Potato fields, 

 and the most of their 50 varieties are round, ovate, and oval, and grow near the 

 surface. 



There is one class of idlers who never investigate, yet desire always to appear 

 wise when questioned. It was one of these who knew that the sow eat up the 

 grindstone. They pronounced the whole thing a humbug — of course the 350 

 millions of Chinese knew nothing about their plant. Even the present winter 

 silly statements have been made about their running so deep in the ground that 

 the cost of getting them out is ruinous, when most of the kinds grow only 3 to 4 

 inches under the surface. But one person iu this State beside myself grew the 

 ro ots extensively on their first arrival — John 6. Sickles of Stuyvesant. He grew 

 some roots weighing 5 lbs. and one that weighed 15 lbs. and has always continued, 

 and recommended their culture. Charles Downing of Newburg has also grown 

 them, and expresses his amazement that their culture is not generally adopted. 



1 took the precaution last spring to secure favorable Reports by sending Roots 

 to Horace Greely, Win. L. Allison, T. B. Miner and Thos. Mehan, all Editors of 

 leading papers, and expected to thus put an end to all false cavillings. Greatly 

 to my disappointment their gardeners have in every case neglected to cultivate 

 them. But we have plain Jacob Rayuor's most triumphant Report, which sets 

 all cavilling at rest. 



There is still one other most important point which has not yet been considered. 

 New varieties can be readily produced from seeds, and we can thus obtain such 

 as are well suited to every section of our country, and of every form and char- 

 acter as we do with the Potato. 



This plant is of so hardy and simple culture, that the tubers and seeds have 

 become naturalized in my grounds, springing up spontaneously in the beds and 

 hedgerows. 



The Roots which I have exhibited at the Public Fairs of the American Insti- 

 tute and elsewhere, have weighed 20 to 28 oz., but I have grown many of 3 lbs. 

 The usual size grown from sections of the root of the oblong varieties! s 12 oz. to 

 l l A lbs. 



