COMMONPLACE NOTES. 



1089 



the pleasure we have experienced in the discovery. The one misfortune 

 is that neither plant can be successfully grown in this country for table 

 purposes ; but as they both form one of the staple industries of our West 

 Indian colonies every patriotic imperialist should rejoice to bo able to 

 help those long-suffering islands even in such a small thing as this. 



Here is the account of the Yam (Dioscorca Batatas) and its varieties, 

 given in the Journal of the Imperial Department of Agriculture for the 

 West Indies : — 



The " Yam," so familiar to all classes throughout the West Indies, is 

 practically unknown in Great Britain. Beyond the comparatively small 

 number of people who have visited the tropics, few have definite know- 

 ledge as to the nature of the plant or of the wholesome and palatable 

 character of the food it provides. 



Although grown throughout the tropics, it is in the West Indies that 

 Y T ams are to be found at their best and in the greatest variety and 

 abundance. During the time of the year they are in season they form a 

 standard dish at the planter's table, in addition to being one of the staple 

 foods of the estate labourer and, in fact, of all classes throughout the 

 W r est Indies. The majority of visitors to the West Indies become, even 

 in the course of a brief stay, very partial to the Yam. 



For those who have not visited the tropics the general character of the 

 Yam plant may perhaps be best described by saying that it closely 

 resembles in habit the Black Bryony of English hedgerows. The plants 

 are near relatives, and agree in their twining stems and shining heart- 

 shaped leaves. Both, moreover, have ail underground tuberous "root"; 

 but whilst that of the Bryony is uneatable, the Yam " root " supplies 

 man with one of the most w T holesome vegetables the world affords. 



The varieties of Yams are legion. Some are distinguished by the 

 names of places whence they were first obtained, others by descriptive 

 names, such as 1 Horn Yam,' ' Snake Yam,' &c. Yams vary greatly in 

 size and appearance. Usually they are covered by a deep brown skin, 

 and their flesh is firm and of various shades of white, yellow, or in some 

 few cases distinctly purple. Some are not more than 6 inches long and 

 one pound or so in weight, whilst other varieties measure 3 or 4 feet in 

 length, G or 9 inches in diameter, and weigh 30, 40, 50, or even 100 

 pounds. 



Their cultivation is comparatively simple. The upper portion of a Yam, 

 called the "Yam head," is put in the ground. It produces fresh leafy 

 shoots, and the new Yams slowly form and mature beneath the ground. 

 In Barbados the foliage is allowed to trail over the surface of the ground, 

 whilst in Jamaica, Trinidad, &c. a stout stick is stuck in by each plant 

 up which it climbs, so that a Yam patch somewhat resembles a miniature 

 Hop field. The different varieties of Yams take varying periods to come 

 to maturity. Some are quite ripe in five months, whilst others do not 

 reach perfection for nine months or even a year. 



The following hints, prepared by Mrs. J. R. Bovell, are published for 

 cooking Yams and presenting them in an attractive form at table. 



Boasted Yams. — Lay a Yam before the grates of the stove or in the 

 oven, turning it occasionally until cooked. Scrape off the outer skin, cut 

 into pieces or mash with butter, and serve hot. 



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