Nebraska advertiser., 1856-11-29
farmers Department.
[From the Rurnl yew-YorEsr.
THE POIATO--ITs oEIeN AND UsEs

1uS iUd cSCul6ub Is dsC6FIdluSu
tobe a native Of South America, having
been found in a wild state both in
Beunos Ayres and in Chill. Sir Joseph
Banks considers that the potato was
first introduced into Europe from the
mountainous parts of South America,
in the neighborhood of Quito, where
taey we're called ''papas," to Spain,
in the early part of the 10th century.
3. From Spain where they were called
"battatas," they appear to have found
their way first to Italy, where they re-
ceived the same name with the truf1e
eftaratouhi."' The potato was received.
BY Clusins, at Vienna in 1888, from
tire Governor Of Mons, in Hainault,
who had procured it the year before
from one of the attendants of the Pope's
Iegate, under the name Of "taratoufi,"
aid learned from him that it was muse
in Italy. In Germany it received the
name of "cartofel," and spread rapidly
in the time of Clausius.
e.. It is supposed that the potato was
first introduced into England by the
colonists sent out by Sir Walter
Raleigh, whoreturned from Virginia in
1886. Thomas Herriot, in areport of
the country, describes a plant called
F'openank," with "roots as large as a
wslnut, and others much larger; they
grow in damp soil, many hanging to-
gether, as if on ropes; they are good
food either boiledor roasted" Gerarde,
in his Herbal, published in 1897, gives
a figure of the potato, under the name
of the. "potato of Virginia." whence,
he.says, he received the roots; and this
appelation it appears to have retained,
in order. to distinguish it from the
battatas, or sweet potato, till the year
1910 if not longer.
It is said that the potato was first
planted by Sir Walter Raleigh on his
estate of YounghiIl, near Cork; and,
says a writer, twas cherished and cul-
tivated for food in that country be-
fore its value was known in England,
Though they were soon carried over
from. Ireland to Lancaster. Gerard,
who had this plant in his garden in
1857, under the name of "BaHGta viir-
giniana," recommends the roots to be
eaten'as a delicate dish, not as common
food. Parkinson mentions that the
tubers were sometimes roasted and
stepped. in sack and sugar, or baked
Withmarrow and spices, and even pre-
served and candied by the comft-
makers. The use of potatoes gradu-
ally spread as their excellent qualities
became better understood. It was near
the middle Of the 18th century, how
ever, before they were generally known.
over the country. Sincethat time they.
have been most extensively cultivated.
tits within the recollection of the
writer, when a few rows round the corn
field, or a small patch Of a fourth or
half ar, acre of potatoes was consider
ed quite a-large quantity for a farmer
to grow. Two varieties were only
known at that time, the Shog" and the
e:red' potato-the former a strong, III
favored coarse-meated, soggy con-
icetn, only fit for the animal whose
naine'it bears; the latter was finer and
closer-meafed, of good favor, not
mealy, but an~excellent late potato, and
not very prolific. 1t is about sixty
yecrs- since the variety called English
Whites we're first introduced into this
country. They were of good size,
wRate skin, eyes large and deeply in
derted; form roundish; flesh white,
fne grained, mealy, ~farinaceous, and
of good .Ravor-a great improvement
on the former kinds. After the intro
duction Of the English Whites" the
consumption increased until they have
!. become a essarya and very important
item in table use.
AS an article Of human food, the
p0.ato ranks next to corn and wheat,
AMI is of the greatest Importance in
tho eye of the political economist
From no other crop that can be culti-
vaeed will the public derive so much
food as from this valuable esculent; and
IL admits of demonstration, that an
acre of potatoes viii feed double the
the number Of people that can be fed
from an acre Of wheat. Potatoes are
also a n~ourishing, healthy food, relish
ed by almost every palate; and it is
believed there is hardly a dinner served
up in any part. of this country without
them. In Ireland particularly, we all
know they constitute the principal
article of food for the poor. When
the potato crop fails there, a famine
generally ensues.
Einhof found mealy potatoes to con.
tai twenty-four per cent. of theil
weight of nutritivc matter. In making
a proper estimate of the value of any
article of food, it is necessary that W,
should not give too much importance
to- a single element which it may con
tain. Starch, as is well known
aBounds in the potato, and its nutrien