Description

Collins sends a case of semi-wild Dioscorea roots via the East Asiatic Company Ltd vessel 'Falstria'. She provides a list describing the appearance and use of the nine roots, labelled G, G-I, K, L, M, N, O, P and Q. G: Dioscorea esculenta, or 'Mun-e-moong peng', grows wild on hillsides and damp ground. Leaves, flowers and fruit of this plant were sent to the Singapore Botanical Gardens through Kerr. This is the 'best of the yams'; the best substitute for potatoes. G-I: 'Mun-e-moong-che-urk' or 'string', are very fibrous but would make fine flour. K: 'Mun Moo Mee', or 'Bears Paw' is grown in village clearings near Sriracha and is good for eating. L: 'Muna Awn', or 'Soft', is grown in small quantities for personal use. It is boiled and eaten with palm sugar and coconut. M: 'Mun Lu-at Ki', or 'Chicken's blood', also grown for personal use; just under the skin it is blood red. Used in puddings or cakes in Siam [Thailand], but used in Burma as vegetables. N: 'Mun Moo Seur', or 'Tigers Paw', third finest of the group. It is grown by villagers but is largely cultivated by Chinese gardeners for the market. Used in cakes and puddings. O: 'Mun Gnu', or 'Snake', is grown by villagers; boiled and eaten with palm sugar and cocoanut. Some years ago she saw a coil of the Snake tuber in several tiers, measuring at least ten feet: it was presented to the Governor of Sriracha as a curiosity. P: 'Mun Chow Maprow', or 'Swollen Cocoanut Germ', grown in small quantities by the villagers. Finally Q: 'Mun Kyow', or 'Clear', tubers are eaten raw, or sundried and roasted. Made into tea by the Siamese upper classes, especially in hot weather. It bears an edible bean, second only to the French bean. It is cultivated largely for the market by Chinese gardeners: it is in popular use by Opium smokers. Collins also sends six black and white photographs depicting the roots and a Beaumontia murtonii from Nong Yai Boo, Sriracha forest, growing on her fence at Sriracha in 1925. Page 1 of 18.

Description

Collins sends a case of semi-wild Dioscorea roots via the East Asiatic Company Ltd vessel 'Falstria'. She provides a list describing the appearance and use of the nine roots, labelled G, G-I, K, L, M, N, O, P and Q. G: Dioscorea esculenta, or 'Mun-e-moong peng', grows wild on hillsides and damp ground. Leaves, flowers and fruit of this plant were sent to the Singapore Botanical Gardens through Kerr. This is the 'best of the yams'; the best substitute for potatoes. G-I: 'Mun-e-moong-che-urk' or 'string', are very fibrous but would make fine flour. K: 'Mun Moo Mee', or 'Bears Paw' is grown in village clearings near Sriracha and is good for eating. L: 'Muna Awn', or 'Soft', is grown in small quantities for personal use. It is boiled and eaten with palm sugar and coconut. M: 'Mun Lu-at Ki', or 'Chicken's blood', also grown for personal use; just under the skin it is blood red. Used in puddings or cakes in Siam [Thailand], but used in Burma as vegetables. N: 'Mun Moo Seur', or 'Tigers Paw', third finest of the group. It is grown by villagers but is largely cultivated by Chinese gardeners for the market. Used in cakes and puddings. O: 'Mun Gnu', or 'Snake', is grown by villagers; boiled and eaten with palm sugar and cocoanut. Some years ago she saw a coil of the Snake tuber in several tiers, measuring at least ten feet: it was presented to the Governor of Sriracha as a curiosity. P: 'Mun Chow Maprow', or 'Swollen Cocoanut Germ', grown in small quantities by the villagers. Finally Q: 'Mun Kyow', or 'Clear', tubers are eaten raw, or sundried and roasted. Made into tea by the Siamese upper classes, especially in hot weather. It bears an edible bean, second only to the French bean. It is cultivated largely for the market by Chinese gardeners: it is in popular use by Opium smokers. Collins also sends six black and white photographs depicting the roots and a Beaumontia murtonii from Nong Yai Boo, Sriracha forest, growing on her fence at Sriracha in 1925. Page 1 of 18.