Besides rice, they cultivate the camote (sweet potato, Convolvulus batatas).

From this circumstance the term camote, universal in the Philippines, appears to have had its origin, Crawfurd, indeed, erroneously considering it a native term.

" [Yap camotes from Philippines.]

Besides the different roots which are used by the natives of the island instead of bread, there is the batata, which they call camote, and which they have acquired from the Philippines, as I was informed by one of our Caroline Indians, who is a native of the island.

The ground is used only once for dry rice; camote (batata), abacá, and caladium being planted on it after the harvest.

Next to rice the principal articles of sustenance are camote (convolvulus batatas), ubi (dioscorea), gabi (caladium), palauan (a large arum, with taper leaves and spotted stalk).

Camote can be planted all the year around, and ripens in four months; but it takes place generally when the rice culture is over, when little labor is available.

When the cultivation of camote is retained, the old plants are allowed to multiply their runners, and only the tubers are taken out of the ground.

They practise a primitive agricultureraising corn, rice, camotes, and several vegetablesin fields and little gardens at the edge of the forests.

" Down, then, from the tree came the great Buso, with a big, deep basket (such as women carry bananas and camotes in) hanging from his shoulders.

"We secured some camotes in this settlement, cooked them immediately, and everybody had breakfast.

Formerly they had to make up the shortage by eating camotes, but they have now become so prosperous that they can afford to buy rice, which is carted in over the Benguet Road.