Edible Products. 



36 



[July, 1912. 



downward without the tremendous 

 opposition exerted against it by the 

 firm soil, which would be the objec- 

 tionable feature under the ordinary 

 method of planting. Furthermore, the 

 decaying of the vegetable matter fur- 

 nishes pl,ant food to the roots, holds 

 moisture for the deep roots, and, prob- 

 ably more important still, permits per- 

 fect ventilation around the rootstock 

 and feeding roots. 



Most varieties require poling ; that is, 

 the long weak mass of vines must be kept 

 up off the soil on supports, trellises, or 

 something of the sort. This system of 

 supports not only offers a larger surface 

 to the light, but prevents fungus diseases 

 from attacking the leaves and stems. In 

 this connection it may be said that yams 

 are singularly free from either insect or 

 fungus attacks, though certain rots, 

 probably bacterial in nature, attack the 

 rootstock through wounds in the surface. 



In localities where winds are strong 

 the poles or trellises must, of course, be 

 well braced to prevent blowing over, 

 since the heavy growth of vine on the 

 pole acts like a sail and takes the full 

 force of the wind. 



Yams may be cooked in the same way 

 as potatoes, or sweet potatoes. Some 

 varieties are preferably baked, while 

 others seem better boiled. A favourite 

 dish in some countries is made by boiling 

 roots until nearly " done," then slicing 

 and frying in coconut or olive oil. Yam 

 cakes, made by mashing the boiled or 

 baked roots, then adding milk, or cream, 

 butter, eggs, and cheese, and then frying, 

 are excellent. Puddings can, of course, 

 be made, as is done with sweet potatoes. 

 Yam flour, made by grinding the dried 

 slices of either raw or partially cooked 

 roots, can be made into a variety of 

 dishes ; unfortunately there is a trace 

 of tannin in most yam roots and this 

 usually discolours the slices if in contact 

 with any metal ; in fact, it would appear 



that thera is a peculiar substance in the 

 white yams which turns the whole fecula 

 surface brownish within a few hours 

 after exposure to the atmosphere. Flour 

 made from the black, purple; and red 

 varieties is, of course, somewhat objec- 

 tionable to orthodox housekeepers, but 

 it is interesting in its uniqueness and the 

 flavour is surprisingly good, especially if 

 during the drying process the slices have 

 neither been scorched nor stained with 

 metallic compounds. 



Unfortunately the word yam is com- 

 monly applied to several varieties of 

 sweet potatoes in the Southern United 

 States, and although authorities differ 

 widely as to which varieties of the sweet 

 potatoes this erroneous term applies, the 

 word has become so popular in some 

 districts of the south and south eastern 

 United States that it will take many 

 years to eradicate the mistake. About 

 the only resemblance or relationship 

 between yams and sweet potatoes is 

 based upoD the fact that both happen to 

 be root crops and grow from "vines." 



In the Philippines there is a deplorable 

 lack of appreciation for the yams as a 

 crop, and though a few varieties are 

 cultivated iu certain districts, it will 

 probably be a long time before the 

 markets will offer to the public a cons- 

 < tant supply of first-class roots. There 

 are probably several sorts native to the 

 Philippines which are not found else- 

 where, one of which, the small white 

 Tugue of Luzon, bids fair to become a 

 very high-priced, if not famous edible 

 article. Several of the better Tropical 

 American sorts are being introduced and 

 gradually the public will come to demand 

 something besides imported potatoes and 

 second-class native potatoes in the line 

 of Philippine root-crops. 



There is undoubtedly a good field here 

 for the earnest planter in the study of 

 yam problems,— not alone for his own 

 table but also as a commercial enterprise 



