Agricultural and Commercial Society. 61 
farmer scamps his own work by fixing his suckers too 
near the surface, it can be readily conceived how much 
haVoc is wrought by the wind. 
Yams take rank amono^ the most dehcious of our 
vegetables. The species cultivated in this farm is that 
known as the Barbados yam. This root takes fully a 
year to come to perfection. Unless the land is properly 
and carefully forked, it is idle to expect any good result 
from the culture of yams. They are planted in a square, 
and the farmer has to be wary with reference to the 
time of the year when he consigns his plants to the 
ground. Between the months of March and May is the 
most suitable time for planting. These months allowed 
to slip by, the most desirable results need hardly be 
anticipated. Unless the soil is kept thoroughly broken 
all the while the root formation is in progress, the 
course of development will be checked, and in the long 
run lead to bitter disappointment. It has often 
happened that without any peculiarity in the plant to 
hint at such a thing, the roots when exposed have 
turned out a disasLrous failure. Any unusual condition 
in the weather, and especially in the density of the soil, 
may be responsible for a disturbance in the development 
of yams ; therefore unlimited care has to be brought to 
bear upon them. Some promising sprouts are to be 
seen in this farm. As our farmer understands their 
peculiarities well, they should reach the point of 
maturity without any impediment to their growth. 
Cassava is planted two sticks to the hole, and in six 
months is fit for diojoin^*. If Avater settles near the 
roots they quickly imbibe it a;id become spoilt. The 
heavy dowrnpour of rain which sometimes takes place 
