Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1841-03-23
AGRICULTURAL.
From the Nep England Farmer.
THE POTATO.

Omre. Is the potato a root The dictionary to
which we were wont in our childhood to be referred
for information, inslnuates that it is; nav more, gives
US TO understand that IT may be eaten but whether
raw, after the manner of the ground-nut, or seethed, or
baked, or roasted, it saith not. Yet as man is omniv-
we suppose, eating all things at he
CAM a most consolatory doctrine 10 the anti Graham
ists-it IS for him to decide how and when this root
fruit shall enter into hs viands. Botanists have here
,oforc supposed that the potato was a species of So
lanum producing a small tuber, and which, under cul-
tlyatIon, has been Improved into the varied kinds and
sorts of the present day. But botanlsts, like all other
philosophers, may be wrong at best, as has been veri-
fed IN one kind Of potato, the gillifower, which orig
mates on the stem Of a garden posy.
Once we (who have an inklug for the cUri0siheS of
nature) did actually see with our own eyes, little po-
tatoes growing on the stems Of a small trailing plant
in a greenhouse collection. After looking all about the
fine lot Of geraniums and roses, and such flowers, the
proprietor showed Us, in a deep fowerpot, filed with
light, rich earth, the above mentioned plant. Both
he and we considered it not only a great curiosity, but
exceedingly interesting. We did not perceive any
blossoms on the plant; but perhaps the production Of
50 useful a root ~ was considered by dame nature
more than a compensation for mere posIes-a thing by
no means without some support, for we believe land
! we live Ia the country and near iarms) that there are
rareteS OF potatoes even, which never have any bios
SONS and good potatoes they be too, at bottom.
From these and similar observations, we have come
20 the conclusion that the dictionary men were wrong
10 a,irbuting to potato the Specification Of root; and
we here hold up our protest against book farmers
while talking about the root culture, to include the pO-
lato. We think, and we entertain some doubts wheih-
or IL be our discovery, (for every one should be mod
est in these DAYS Of science,) that the said vexed pota-
TO is not a root, but a mere swelling Of the stem We
know tina, the sap in descending accumulaies into the
woody parts O fplants. Now in going down, II may &C
cumulalo into potatoes. Why mott And perhaps na-
iuro did not mean that The potato should be eaten, but
only intended il as seed for we know That farmers do
actually oal a pant Of the crop seed potatoes, and cutting
Them into liule pieces, raise others from them. Here
in they 30 Just as gardeners ant the ladies do when
they cut up a stem Of a rose bush or gorauium 10 have
a greater number. Now It does not matter a whit,
whether this stem grow under the ground or above il
because we fDd thai other plants sometimes have stems
under ground. And we also think that the potato is
swelling or knot Of the returning sap on the stem, a.
every one has seen that those potatoes which grow on
Of the hul, arc green aud bitter, and taste So like the
stem itself tina, even pigs will scarcely touch them
Besides, we have seen on such potatoes lule greer
leaves growing on, Of the ewes, which can therefore bt
nothing more than the buds Of that part Of the stem,
Things are not always called by right uamos. Car
potatoes be roots We opine they are not. II the,
be warts on stems. on what stems We DO not decide
Facts are stubborn things. Tls enough that we ad
mire nature as she Is to peep into her lady ships mys
ferrous operations, belongs rather 20 those nature men
who are always studying about grasses and mosse
and creeping things. Than 10 people who are conlonte'
% 10 eat a good potato when thew can GET n, caung no
whether u grow on tees or ln the cold ground. A
any rate, an such a case tney can ask the farmer wh
raises u and brings II b market, and our word TOR d
he knoNs more aDa4t Ire matter than the whole Of us
NFRH Sar.