BOOT CROPS. 



365 



of Hawaii, the roots are protected by a covering of fern leaves. 

 The cultivation of taro is hardly a process of multiplication, for 

 the crown of the root is perpetually replanted. As the plant 

 endures for a series of years, the tuberous roots serve at some of 

 the rocky groups as a security against famine. It is also exten- 

 sively cLdtivated in Madeii'a and Zanzibar, and has even withstood 

 the climate of Isew Zealand. It is grown also in Egypt, Syria, and 

 some of the adjacent countries, for its escident roots. A species 

 is cultivated in the Deccan, for the sake of the leaves, which form 

 a substitute for spinach. Earina is obtained from the root of Arum 

 JRumpJiii ill Polynesia. 



SWEET POTATOES. 



The batatas, or camote of the Spanish colonies {Convolvulus 

 batatas, Linn ; Batatas edulis, of Choisy, and the Ipomoea Batatas 

 of other botanists), belongs to a family of plants which has been 

 split into several genera. It is a native of the East Indies, and 

 of intertropical America, and was the " potato" of the old English 

 writers in the early part of the fourteenth century. It was 

 doubtless introduced into Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia soon 

 after their settlement by the Europeans, being mentioned as one 

 of the cultivated products of those colonies as early as the year 

 1648. It grows in excessive abundance throughout the Southern 

 States of America, and as far north as New Jersey, and the 

 southern part of Michigan. The varieties cultivated there are 

 the purple, the red, the yellow, and the white, the former of 

 which is confined to the South. 



The amount of sweet potatoes exported from South Carolina in 

 1747-48, was 700 bushels ; that of the common potato exported 

 from the United States, 1820-21, 90,889,000 bushels ; in 1830-31, 

 112,875,000 bushels; in 1840-41, 136,095,000 bushels; in 1850- 

 51, 106,342,U00 bushels. 



The sweet potato is cultivated generally in all the intertropical re- 

 gions, for the sake of its roots, and as a legume in temperate coun- 

 tries. In the Southern States of oSTorth America, the culture ceases 

 in Carohna under latitude 36 degs. ; in Portugal and Spain it 

 reaches to latitude 40 and 42 deg. ; and as a legume its cultivation 

 is attempted to the vicinity of Paris. In India it is a very com- 

 mon crop ; its tubers are very similar to the potato, but have a 

 sweeter taste, whence the common name ; but it must not be con- 

 founded with the topinambur {Heliantlius tuherosus), a native of 

 Brazil, which is less cultivated. The root contains much saccha- 

 rine and amylaceous matter. 



Several marked varieties of the sweet potato are raised in 

 the Polynesian groups. In some islands it forms the principal 

 object of cultivation. 



It is grown in the Northern districts of T^ew Zealand, at 

 Zanzibar, Monomoisy, Bombay, and other parts oi the East 



