The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-03-02
TOPICS FOR FARMERS.
The Chinese Yam-Mr William &,

The Chinese Yam-Mr. William Cru
IAN, of Hamilton County, Indiana, says
that the Chinese Yam possesses merits
that should commend it TO the agricul.
tural classes of the United States, yet
there are many who don't even know
that it is grown in this country, although
it is more than twenty years since it,
introduction here, from China. The
difficulty all new beginners have to con
tend with in the culture of this esculent
is a proper understanding of its wants
/ have grown them for twelve or fifteen
years, and will give the readers of the
paper the benefit of my experience:
In the first place, select soil that il
moderately dry, deep, and rich, and pre-
pare it by spading or blowing deeply
then plant the tubers eight inches apart
each way. They will need to be cult
waited few times the first year, to keeI
weeds down and soil loose. After the
first year, keep the weeds hoed off OF
moved down, as you prefer. The Yam'
are perfectly hardy, standing in the
ground all winter and growing again
when spring comes, increasing in size fol
number of years. They increase
grow on the vines just above each leaf
These should be saved in the fall, and
kept during winter where they will not
freeze, as freezing Injuries their growth,
and planted in the spring as soon as the
ground gets warm
As to the product per acre, in the
best of soil, with three years growth
and tubers planted eight inches apart
each way, we could safely calculate on
getting six and a quarter tons of Vans
per acre. Some may think this large
yield, but / believe it is not as large as
I should put it, and think it is not an
overestimate. l have only cultivated
them on small scale, but have come tc
the above conclusion with regard to theil
productiveness. A few years ago, l wa:
digging in an old bed of them where
they had been left to grow for several
years, and such sight The ground
was literally full of roots, measuring
one and half to two feet in length, and
one and half to two inches in diameter
at the largest end, and this, too, where
the soil was not more than eight or ten
inches deep.
They grow in perpendicular position
with the large end downwards. The
vines are ornamental, having heart
shaped leaves edged with scarlet, and
are very pretty. A few tubers planted
near door or window, and the vines
trained over and about it, make an orna-
ment worthy the admiration of all. The
flowers are numerous and have CHINA
mon fragrance, but the vines do not
bloom until the roots are two years old.
In garden culture / let the vines run on
the ground, except those wish to save
tubers from for seed. These | set stakes
or poles to, as | think by this method
the tubers are produced in greater abun-
dance and of large size.
There is scarcely any difference per-
ceptible to the taste between the Chinese
Yam, when properly cooked, and the
Irish potato, although the Yam is much
whittier and somewhat finer grained
Mr.. M. II. Rose, of Dorchester County,
Maryland, in communication to me,
says in reference tie the Chinese Yam
~ have been cultivating it for about
seven years, and every year L prize 1t
more and more. They are pure white
when cooked, and are dry and mealy.
We cook them either by baking or boil-
ing. After this year / shall cease to
cultivate the Irish potato"
Mr.. Petit, of Porter County, Indiana,
says, 81 have often eaten them in diff
ferent parts of the world, but did not
know they could be grown in this part
of the country, and often wished could
have some of them when potatoes were
scarce"
They have no insect enemy, and
drought affects them but very little,
as they root so deeply. There is no ne
cessity for their being dug at any time
of the year, except when wanted for i'm
mediate use. They are suitable for
cooking any time in the year. A per-
son can plant enough at one planting to
do his family for years, each year bring
ing him larger Vans. / consider them
safer to depend on than the Irish potato,
which has its enemies and is so sensitive
to little freeze.
l believe their proper cultivation
would be attended with success any
where in the United States. If the
masses of the people better understood
their nature, and were better acquainted
with their many fine qualities, they
would be more generally grown. In
conclusion / will say that they are the
most profitable crop that | cultivate.
ITEMS FOR FIELD AND HOUSE.