Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1845-11-15
AGRICULTURAL.

"A u Il u y II - II "A
THE FAILURE OF THE POTATOE
crop IN EUROPE-THE EFFECTS
OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE
POTATOE.
The late foreign advces have shown that
,ha failure Of the pota,oe crop extended almost
throughout Europe. From Russia throughout
Poland. Prussia, Germany. Holland. Belgium.
France and Great Britain, the complaint IS IN
ooe chorus. The potatoe rot in the season 0.
1e44 was extensive 10 the United States, but
in l845 Europe has suffered far more. There
aIao. the poiatoe is infinitely Of more impor-
lance than here, for it is the chief support OF
ihe poorer classes. Here on the contrary, the
very poorest ca. wheat, and the po:atoe IS an
aurtliaru rather than an indispensable. On
account Of the abundance Of wheat IN the UNI
led States, we can live we'll without the pota-
toe, though far better with it. These consld'
era,ions evidently give very high Importance
to the crop in Europe. II is said, when that
fails. the serfs of Russia and Poland expect
famine.
There is 80 much nutriment in the potatoe,
and il can be raised 81 largely aud in every
variety Of climate, even where wheat Will no!
grow, that amid the dense settled countries OF
Europe, it is justly looked upon, as the chief
reliance for the food Of the Iaborlng classes.
The potatoe crop Of .he United States 10
1s42. before the rot appeared here. was esi''
mated from reliable data, at l3 ,O00, 600 bush
els. Our population was then not over 49,
OOO, 900. What then may we estimate the
crop in the kingdoms Of France. Belgium,
Germany. Prussia, Austria, Poland, Russia
and Great Britain, embracing population OF
a. .lsast l20.0OO,OOO. If the po,atoe is as ex-
tensively raised as among ns-which for ma.
nv reasons is the case-we have crop OF
SOC, 900, 900 bushels in those kingdoms Of Eu.
rope. When such an immense crop Is seri-
ously diminished. the mind can slightly appre-
ciate the distress that must ensue. We have
the hope that fear-as is apt to be the case
has exaggerated the rot far beyondsthe reality,
Alarm may well be excited at even moder'
ate spread Of the rot. In this country, il was
supposed to have shortened the crop of last
wear far more than was actually the result
The actual diminution Of our crop by the rot.
in 1914, was about Is. 900, 900 bushels, or 10
Der cent, which was far less than was at first
supposed. Sill the deficiency on the cont.
nent is 30 undoubted that it will prevent the
usual shipments Of wheat TO England, which
demand must therefore be supplied from the
United States.
It will be remembered that the pota,oe was
first introduced into Europe by Sir Walter
Raleigh, about two and half centuries ago.
That invaluable vegetable was the gi:: Of the
new world to the old. Il has been well re.
marked that that alone was sufficient TO repay
for the discovery Of America. The inestima-
Bile blessings which the introduction of the po-
tatoe has conferred upon the poor Of Europe
h. tri!, afo1, hon 6oYo
is short crop. The gloom. the apprehension
aud the alarm is an evidence unmis,akable Of
iis value.
II will naturally to asked If such is the pres.
ent dependence of the poorer classes upon the
potatoe crop, how did they live before the in.
PRODUCTION OF this vegetable! Oatmeal was
the general food of the poorer classes. the
bread of which is still used in many parts Of
Europe. l, is yearly as black as ink. The
German vesses-as part Of their provisions
for the crew.-bring it 10 New York, and it is
90 repulsive to the eye that an American
would scarcely give it to his dog. As the pc.
tatoe will grow more abundan,ly and with
less care even than oats, while il is far more
nutritious, its introduction has given the poor
q cheaper as well as better article Of food.
The population Of Europe has quadrupled
eince the last two hundred and fifty years.
1t has already become so dense that subsist-
ence presses hard Upon production. So much
Of the best wheat land is monopolized, for the
parks of the gentry. royal forests and hunting
grounds that il is hardly possible 10 conceive
how the presen. very dense population could
live without the po,a,oe, which 10 its remark
able nutriment, facility Of raising, and Of pre-
pairing for the most wholesome food, exceeds
shatQf any other esculen; in the whole range
Of the vegetable or farinaceous kingdom.
[A'bany Argus.