Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-04-19

TIE CHINESE PoTATo.-Iti is fortunate that Just
when the potato which, as an article Of food has
been ranked in many couatrics second only to
the ':staff off lie," is about to prove no longer
either paying crop to the producer, or salts
factory esculent to the consumer, another edi-l
bic root and one, as VIC learn, superior in many
respects to tho common potato, should have been
furnished to.us by the Fast, that the great and
cxhatlstihle storchousc Of good things. The his
tory. of this igqGmG or Chinese potato, so far as
regards its introduction to Western Europe and
into this country, may be given in few lines
In the year 1913, the French Consul residing at
Shanghai, sent TO Paris specimens of the root,
called in China Sega, where it is universally us
cd among the people But little notice was ia
ken ofthe samples until they were placed in the
Exhibition OF 1854, when they attracted attcn-
ton Of the scientific, by whom the naturalization
and propagation of the root were at once secur-
cd The subsequent experiments that have been
made with the root prove consclusively that no
plant as substitute for the common potato, can
be compol cd with the ignama. The eminentag-
riculturist and florist, Mr.. Prince, Of New York
who has given the China potato some attention,
says; 1t has been domeStic0tGd in China from
time immemorial Its root is large and rich in
nutritive matter. 1t may DC eaten without cook
ing, us fruit, or it may be cooked without any
trouble, both by boiling and roasting. 1t is, i'll
plain words, bread for the eater, with as full u
title as the common potato. We have, he adds
the finn conviction that the Chinese potato will,
Just US the common potato did, increase the
wealth of many and diminish the misery and
suffering of moro, and that this useful exotic
will not meet with the same obstacles and re-
pugnancc to its adoption which were cxpcrinccd
for more than two centuries by the common po-
tato
Experiments which were instituted by N.
Frenzy, Chemical Professor of the Paris Museum
of Natural History lead to the belief that this
root may also be employed in making bread
| He found that it can he reduced to fine paste,
similar to that made of wheat -four. The taste
of the tubcrcles boiled OF roasted is that of the
first quality of potatoes, the cooking consuming
about half the time. Another advantage claim
ed for it is that it can be kept for years without
sprOuting or suffering deterioration from heat
and cold. Its culture requires but little labor
or expense, the root being exceedingly produc-
tivc-at least double that of the common potato.
| 1t has been grown both in France and Algicrs,
SO that no difficulty US to its acclimatiOn here
need be apprehended. The general expectation
entertained by those who are familiar with the
qualities ofthc ignamG, is that it will ultimately
Supcrsetc to great extent the potato now in
use And it is thought that it will grow into IA
vor much more rapidly than did the common
potato which was more than two hundred years
in obtaining its present hold upon the affections,
or rather appctites OfhumaDity. We presume
that the new csculcnt will find no difficulty i'll
making friends among the various anti-hcSh en-
| ting societies, whose worthy members prefer as
a c,ltivator for the Storm divine" vegetable
rather than animal material; and that it will be
at once elected life member. If the potato
should become extinct, and no substitute be
found the cEusc must suffer serious loss; nor
would vcgctarians be the only sutfercrs.-Adtt.
HIHeFicGR.