AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
137 
THE NEW CHINESE POTATO,--(DIOSCOREA 
BATATAS,) 
We had intended to say nothing in regard 
to this new Potato or “yam,” until some in¬ 
formation more definite and reliable could 
be obtained, than any thing we have yet seen 
published either in this country, or in France 
or ' England ; but the attention . already 
awakened, and the numerous letters of in¬ 
quiry we have received impel as to say a 
word at this time. 
We have translated several articles from 
the French journals and have also read most, 
if not all that has been written in England 
and in this country, and our own conclusion 
is, that the “celestial yam” should still be 
received with some considerable caution. It 
appears to possess merit, but nothing suffi¬ 
ciently definite is yet known to warrant a 
tithe of the claims put forth. It may hereaf¬ 
ter be found worthy of a limited cultivation 
in particular localities, and there is a bare 
possibility that it may be grown on a large 
scale in some of the middle and southern 
states. 
The cautious and reserved statements of 
the most enthusiastic French cultivators who 
have any character to sustain or lose, and the 
fact that an article of sucli “inestimable 
value ” has so entirely escaped the attention 
of the great number of persons visiting and 
trading in China during several years past, 
are, to say the least, suspicious circum¬ 
stances. 
With this as with all similar new candi¬ 
dates for popular favor, it is well for those 
having time and means to experiment on a 
limited scale. Fortunately experiments with 
the Chinese Potato can be made without in¬ 
volving any great hazard, as a dozen of the 
seed tubers can be obtained for $3, and a 
hundred for $20, which is as far as any one 
should go with the plant till it has been tested. 
If any one goes beyond this and loses money 
we can not greatly sympathize with him, if 
he be not too young to remember the “ Mo¬ 
rns Multicaulis.” Further, if any one hopes 
to make a fortune by getting hold of the first 
supplies and selling out at exhorbitant prices 
we can inform them that they are now either 
so common or so little appreciated in France— 
we scarcely know which—that the cele¬ 
brated Paris Nurserymen, Yilmorin, An- 
drieux & Co., in their printed catalogues 
sent-to this country (a copy which we have 
before us) offer the Dioscorea Batatas at 
$5 per 100, or $40 per 1,000, that is four 
cents each.— Ed. 
Give Names. —We repeat for the twen¬ 
tieth time that we take no pains to answer 
questions from “ Subscribers ” or others, who 
do not accompany their letters with their 
true names. We have before us a letter 
from a person calling himself a “ Subscriber ” 
at New-Germantown, N. J., who attempts 
to “ sponge ” an advertisement of a book, by 
asking information about it. This writer 
gives us a name, but not that of any known 
subscriber or resident at New-Germantown. 
He is perhaps the compiler of the book he 
would get puffed or noticed. Such tricks are 
common; but though some times successful, 
“ it is hard to catch old birds,” &e. 
HOW ABOUT THOSE WILLOWS ? 
For sometime past the agricultural and 
other journals, with a few exceptions, have 
been publishing sundry articles upon the im¬ 
portance, feasibility and profitableness of 
cultivating willows. The information (1) fur¬ 
nished seems to have chiefly emanated from 
one or two sources supposed to be reliable. 
W T e are sorry to throw cold water upon an 
enterprise which promised such magnificent 
results, but we are compelled to state that 
we think the public have been misled in this 
matter. During the past month we have 
taken some pains to inquire of persons who 
have tried the culture of several varieties of 
willows, and also to examine reliable docu¬ 
ments in order to ascertain the amount re¬ 
quired in this country. From all we can 
gather we are led to conclude that raising 
willows has been very far from a profitable 
business, and further that the annual impor¬ 
tation from abroad has been very greatly over¬ 
stated. 
Carefully conducted experiments on a lim 
ited scale are desirable and we hope they will 
be made by thosevvho can afford a failure ; 
but until the practicability of the enterprise is 
more fully demonstrated, and the variety of 
willows best adapted to our soil and climate, 
and the mode of cultivation together with 
the market demand and value are better 
known than at present, we can not encour¬ 
age any one to enter into the business with 
very great anticipations as to profits.— Ed. 
Horse Show at Louisville. —There is to 
be a grand horse show at Louisville, Ky., 
next spring under the auspices of the south¬ 
western Agricultural and Mechanical Asso¬ 
ciation. The exhibition is to begin on Tues¬ 
day, the 13th of May, and continue three 
days. On Friday following the close of the 
Fair, the first regular auction sale of stock- 
&c., is to take place at the fairgrounds. 
Bees Wanted. —We have inquiries from 
persons wishing to purchase one or more 
hives of bees. Those having them to sell 
should in some way make it public. 
Poultry. —An answer to the inquiries of 
B. S., and others, prepared by a judicious 
assistant, reached us too late for this num¬ 
ber. It will appear in our next. 
Death from a Trifling Cause. —The 
Woodstock Patriot relates that about three 
months since Mr. Eleazer Brown,of Uxbridge, 
stuck a small blackberry thorn in his finger, 
inflicting a slight wound, which grew worse 
and finally mortified, causing his death on 
Saturday last. He was 82 years of age. 
The Wool-Grower’s Association of West¬ 
ern New-York, give notice that their 2d ex¬ 
hibition will be held at Penn-Yan, commenc¬ 
ing on the 27th of May next. A premium 
list, amounting to $1,000, it is said, is about 
to be issued. 
RHODE-ISLAND SOCIETY'EOR THE ENCOUR¬ 
AGEMENT 0E DOMESTIC INDUSTRY. 
TRANSACTIONS FOR 1855. 
Rhode-Island, though small in territory, is 
in many respects a model State. They have 
a way of doing up things promptly there, 
which is worthy of imitation elsewhere. 
Their Legislators meet, give all the atten¬ 
tion necessary to public business, then ad¬ 
journ and go home to attend to their own, 
instead of hanging around the public treas¬ 
ury for half the year. 
The Societies devoted to the improvement 
of Agriculture, Horticulture, and other 
branches of domestic industry, pursue a 
similar course. An example of their activi¬ 
ty and promptness we have before us in the 
volume of their transactions for 1855 (not 
1854), which reached us within six weeks 
after the close of the year. We shall be 
agreeably surprised if we get the transactions 
of other State Societies (except Massachu¬ 
setts) before mid-summer. 
The volume before us, of 132 pages, con¬ 
tains all needful information in regard to the 
business transactions of the Society, and a 
digest of the more valuable addresses, re¬ 
ports of committees, &c. We have marked 
some of the more instructive and practical 
of these reports for future insertion. 
ORGANIZATION FOR 1856. 
President — Elisha Dyer, Providence. 
1st. Vice-Pres. —Caleb Congdon, Cranston. 
2 d. Vice-Pres. —Elisha R. Potter, Kingston. 
3d. Vice-Pres. —Oliver Angell, Providence. 
Sec. and Treas. —Wm. R. Staples, “ 
Audit and Finance Committee —John J. 
Stimson, Providence, Henry W. Lathrop, 
Providence, William Viall, Providence. 
Standing Committee. 
1. Josiah Chapin, Providence. 
2. Stephen H. Smith, Lonsdale 
3. John Holden, Warwick. 
4. Christopher S. Rhodes, Providence. 
5. James Eldred, Wickford. 
6. William S. Patten, Providence. 
7. Obadiah Brown, Manton. 
8. George B. Peck, Providence. 
9. William T. Grinnell, “ 
10. William M. Snow, “ 
11. Cyrus B. Manchester, “ 
12. James F. Simmons, Johnston. 
13. Thomas J. Stead, Providence. 
14. Henry Howard, “ 
15. Thomas A. Tefft, “ 
16. John J. Reynolds, Wickford. 
17. Samuel B. Halliday, Providence. 
18. Powell H. Carpenter, Narragansett. 
19. Oliver Johnson, Providence. 
20. John A. Taft, “ 
21. Ansel Holman, Slatersville. 
22. Robert S. Burrough, Providence. 
23. James Y. Smith, “ 
24. Hiram Kendall, “ 
25. Albert S. Gallup, “ 
26. Thomas B. Buffum, Middletown. 
27. Albert Dailey, Providence. 
28. Rodolphus B. Johnson, Warren. 
29. Joseph H. Bourn, North Providence. 
30. James D’Wolf Perry, Bristol. 
To pronounce a man happy, simply be¬ 
cause he is rich, is just about as absurd as 
to call a man healthy because he has enough 
to eat. 
Frugality is good, if liberality be joined 
with it. 
