Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1857-03-07
Prom the s:Putpam 1a.) Republican Banner"
The On. POfatd.

ing communication ffdm DR.. ,DarnalI, i
complaints with request of ours, that h
would furnish our readers with the result
of his experiment with the .Ch:nese Yam.
It will be perceived that the trial whicl
he has gwen it has, SO far, proved entirel,
successful: and that if he should succeet
lin preserving The FRUITS Of The present sea
son; he WILDE able To-. plant a considera
bic 'patch" the ensuing season. If tn
l"Yam" proves to be even one half as val
liable as Prince claims it to be, it will sool
find its way into many Of our gardens, and
We should suppose, measurably ,supplan
the cultivation Of the common potato
Editor. 1,
Nj. Edit6f-I comply With pleasure te
your request, and give the readers Of your
department short account of my Stuck
with the Chinese Yam or Dioscorea Bata
| tas.
In February last procured of VIM. r.
Prince g. Co., five small tubers, weighing
about twelve grains each, at cost Of one
dollar per tuber or more than twice their
Weight In gold, besides one dollar and fifty
cehts fol express charges.
Ieapected before they arrived to get
large potatoes, one or two feet long, and
Jas great in circumference as my arm OF
leg. You may form some idea of my dis
appointment when l tell that l was put to
some trouble to fina them in a, little box
of fine sand-the manner in which they
were put for conveyance.
Not DISCOURAGED muck at their diminu-
tive size, I soon commenced sprouting
them, thinking they had great "room to
grow" / succeeded SO well in this that
they were ready, to transplant in April
By the last Of May the vines were one OF
two feet long, bit unfortunately the frost
on the first of June nipped them to the
ground, and put them back three or four
weeks. New vines came up and grew
tolerab,y welt through the remainder Of
the season, bus no doubt considerably
STUFFED by The extremely dry weather.
As soon as the vines became two or
three feet long, / cut them of and divided
them into as many segments as there
were leaves or pairs ofEeaves. These were
placed in boxes Of cath, and watefed at
least once each day until frosts come in the
fall. Each leaf treated in this way pro-
duced little tuber, such as planted in
the spring. In this manner l have sue
ceeded in obtaining some four or FIVE hun
|dred "tubers."
1 dug one hill and found two potatoes
the smaller one was near two feet long
aud one inch thick; the other, thirty inch
es long and one and half inches in diam
eter.
The aYam" looks delicious. have not
tasted it yet. Those who call it a hum.
bug have; ID lily opinion, expressed them
selves without knowing much about it.
Should Isucceed in keeping them thro'
the winter, will be able to plant five hum
Edred Hills III the spring, and by the fall will
supply all my friends, who may wish tc
try the experiment.
Doctor, look out at our next County
Fair for "Chinese Vans" thirty inches long,
weighing two pounds! will then have a
"pot fulp' cooked for you and others to
get taste. Very respectfully Yours,
ID. D. DARNALL.
Bainbridge, Ind. Dec. 18th, 1856.
M. L. S. LOOMS Of Hazel Green in
this county informs us he tried the Chinese
potatoe last year with like success.