COLOMBO. 
Added as a Supjple^iient Monthly to tJie "TBOPICAL AGRICULTURIST." 
The following pages include the Contents of the Agricultural Magazine for 
August : — 
Vol. XV.] AUGUST, 1903. [No. 2. 
SWEET POTATOES. 
ITH a desire to improve on the 
varieties of sweet potatoes avail- 
able locally, we obtained through 
the help of Mr. T. W. Mollison, 
Director-General of Agriculture 
in India, 10 lb', of each of 
three American varieties found suitable for 
India, namely, Nancimund, Virginia and New 
Jersey. la Ceylon the Southern Province is 
credited with growing the best sweet-potatoe?, 
but the finest we have seen were grown in 
Ilanguranketa in the Central Province, where the 
tubers are not uncommonly from b to 6 lbs. in 
weight, and are said to reach 8 and 10 lbs ea^ch ; 
and are yet mealy and free from fibrous tissue. 
Three plots of the American varieties referred 
to above have just been dug up. The plots were 
15 feet by 3 feet in size, and the cuttings were 
planted one foot apart each way. Unfortunately 
the tuber?, as soon as formed, were attacked by 
field rats, and for some time, till the nuisance was 
abated, a good deal of damage was done in this 
way. The resultant crop wci^^IieJ as follows : — 
Nancimuud lOi lb?., Virginia Hi lbs., and 
New Jersey 17^ lb. Calculating the average 
produce per acre the crop works out be- 
tween 14,000 and 15,000 lb?. The plots that 
have been lifted had the Vines supported on 
trellises. Other plots grown in the ordinary way 
are just about to be dug up. The tubers are 
of medium size, and though not quite as 
sweet as local varieties, are of excellent quality. 
More than one authority considered them the best 
potatoes he had yet met with. Cuttings of all 
three varieties have been freely distributed to 
School Oardb'UP in all parts of the Island. 
In this connection we give below the " Recipes 
for Cooking Sweet Potatoes," published under the 
authority of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 
the West Indies, and have no doubt that they will 
be very acceptable to our readers. 
FRENCH PRIED SWP;ET POTATOES. 
Cut cold boiled potatoes in thin slices. Season 
with salt, put them into the frying basket, and 
cook in lard for five minutes. 
GLAZED SWEET POTATOES. 
Cut cold boiled potatoes in slices about an inch 
thick, and season well with salt and peper. For 
a quart of potatoes, melt half a cupful of butter, 
and add two tablespoonsful of sugar to it. Dip 
the slices in this liquid and lay them in a large pan. 
Cook for twelve minutes in a very hot oven in 
which time the potatoes should turn a rich glossy 
brown. Serve hot. 
ESCALOPED STVEET POTATOES. 
Slice sufficient cold, boiled potatoes to make 
three pints, and sprinkle with a teaspoonful of 
salt and a little pepper. Butter a large shallow 
dish, and spread the potatoes in it, making a layer 
not more than an inch thick. Melt one-third of a 
cupful of butter in one-fourth of a cupful of 
boiling water, and after sprinkling a quarter of 
this liquid over the potatoes, put them into a hot 
oven. In ten minutes sprinkle another quarter of 
the liquid over them, and repeat the act twice at 
intervals of ten minutes. After the final sprink- 
ling bake for ten minutes. 
SWEET POTATO PIE. 
One quarter of sweet potatoes boiled and mashed, 
three beaten eggs, three tablespoonsful of|«ugar, one 
tablespoonful butter, half a nutmeg (grated), half 
a teaspoonful ground einuamou, a little ground 
