Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-11-30

roots, of the size of our early kidney pota-
toes of the garden frame, are raised on
comparatively small pieces of land. To
obtain large-sized tubers, small ones, or
portions Of large are planted in ridges, at
from ten to twelve irches apart and the
plants being allowed to grow freely in au-
tumn, the tubers thus attain an average
weight of one pound and upwards. This
is the plan which has been pursued at the
Museum Of France, the only place iu Eu-
rope where the new plant has hitherto
been cultivated. And in the report of NJ.
Pepin on the subject, it is conceived that
few years must yet elapse ere we shall
know to what extent the roots left in tho
ground will acquire weight and bulk, and
how long they may remain in the sod
without deterioration of their quality; for
it is one of their peculiarities that like the
roots of the Jerusalem artichoke, they
will remain in the ground several years,
acquiring weight, size, and nutriment, in-
stead of deteriorating, and requiring, in
fact, little or no cultivation, whilst yield
ing at all season aliment within the reach
of every one. A tuber taken up at the
end Of three years, in France, had its eel
lular tissue healthy to the center, where it
was neither hard nor woody. A root was
also preserved in cellar from Oct, 1852,
to 30th May, 1853, without any develope-
ment of shoots, unchanged, without loss
Of weight, and might have been kept SO
nearly throughout the year, which is not
the case with the common or sweet potato,
since they always sprout in the spring.
Moreover, Decaisne believes this Diosco-
rea richer in nutrition than, and superior
in quality to the potato; its roots are
white as snow, having no visible fibre or
woody matter within, aud, cooked by steam
or roasted, look and taste like the best po-
tatoes This is not their whole culinary
advantage, either; for two pieces of tubers,
the size of hens egg, of Dioscarea and
Batate blanche, being put into boiling
water simultaneously with Dutch potato
of similar size, were 'done' in ten minu-
ties, whilst the Dutchman took twenty.
The strongest poiat, perhaps, in favor
of the new candidate for cultivation is
the fact it will grow best on sandy downs
usually considered barren, and may be
regarded as a messenger sent by Provi-
dence to reclaim our most extensive wastes,
in advance of the onward strides of popu-
lation- 1t is, indeed, pointed out by its
partisans as probable means Of convert
ing waste land to a useful purpose as well
as profit. Neither does it require strong
or liquid mauure-items expressly forbid
den in its culture but pits filed with
earth and dccayed manure, and treatment
similar to that bestowed upon asparagus,
are strongly recommended as the means
Of producing the most abundant crop, the
question Of the expense of manual labor
being asserted to be Of little consequence,
compared with the remuneratiye results.
Mark Lane Express.
1.-THE following description and details
in regard to this most important vegetable
acquisition, are copied from a publication
recently issued at Paris.
The flesh is white, very mealy, and
equal in quality to the potato. The stems
of the plant are twinlng, and grow to the
height of 1 to feet, the leaves heart
SHAPED, the flowers very small, diocious,
of yellowish color, and produced from
the axis of the leaves. If planted iu
April, the Dioscorea will by the ensuing
October produce tUbers 10 to 3o inches
long, slightly swelling at the EMS being
club form, and weighing from 10 to IL
ounces each. OF all the plants which
have been proposed as substitutes for tho
potato, the Dioscorea is the only one which
presents claims sufficiently strong to sus-
tain the competition, for if the Dioscorca
can enter into successful competition
with the Potato for the quality of its tu-
bers, it can most assurcdly do SO by the
quantity of Its crops. The plants when
placed at distance of II inches by :,
will, according to the authority Of Prof.
Deeaisne and NJ. Pallet, yield about go
cwt., (per acre, We SUPPOSE or l4l tons
when growing from April to October, or
is tons if allowed to remain two seasons
in the ground, that Is, to occupy the
ground from April of one year till October
Of the subsequent one La the latter case,
the roots attain much larger size, and
are often of two pounds eight
Although We can scarcely realize that
so great product may be obtained, We
nevertheless think that this plant deserve.
in every respect to be fully tested, aud tho
other circumstances that would recon-
mend the Dioscorea BItatas to the serious
attention of every cultivator, are the faci-
lity Of its culture, and is extraordinary
hardihood, which htter enables il, as tho