1.Arracacha.—

The Indian Government are desirous of introducing this esculent vegetable into India. Arracacha. Esculenta is cultivated in the cooler mountainous districts of South America, where the roots form the staple diet of the inhabitants. Steps have been taken at Kew (where plants are now growing) to procure the seed, and as success in cultivation appears to depend on the method of treatment, I place on record here some particulars obligingly communicated to me by Mr. Henry Birchall, of Bogotà.

About 6,000 feet is nearly the upper level of any extensive cultivation of this plant, though it produces at points a good deal higher. It is rather difficult to obtain the seed, as from habit the peons invariably pull up the flowering plants, as they do not produce the edible root. I have several times missed getting the seed by the stupidity of the men who weeded the plantations.

As regards cultivating from seed, my own experience is nil; but my neighbours assure me that by repeated replanting of the young plants at last the roots are developed.

When this is attained the plant throws out a multitude of shoots from the crown. These being broken off are prepared by slicing the base neatly and then putting them in a hole dibbled about 5 or 6 inches deep, and require no further care than ordinary weeding, for which the rows and plants should be 3 feet apart.

"In our climate the root conies to perfection in eight to ten months, and the weight of a good specimen will be 8 to 10 lbs. No doubt if scientifically cultivated, and in properly loosened soil, much larger roots would be obtained. We do not even plough, but stick the seed in immediately after burning off the forest or the brushwood, as the ease may be. It is cheaper to take new ground page 32 then to cultivate properly the old, as we have no command of skilled labour or good apparatus."