Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-07-29
The Potato, it's History, &c.

A correspondent asks why the potato is call
ed the Irish P0tdtO To answer this question
it will be necessary, and perhaps not unprOft-
able, to give some Of its history. The first pO-
tato ever grown in Europe was raised on Sir
Walter Raleigh's estate in Ireland, the seed
heing taken by him from Virginia abont 1902.
For many years, although eaten, they were
grown more as objects Of curiosity than profit.
Their culture, however, continued to increase,
and, during the wars that dCvaSted Ireland to-
wards the end of the seventeenth century, when
the growing grain was destroyed by the SOL
diery the potato crop served to keep the in
habitants from starvation 1t could not be
destroyed by fire, and in fact, nothing but dig
ging up the crop could destroy it, which was
together too much like work for soldiers, and too
long a job, and so the potatoes were left to the
hungry people, for which they were, no doubt,
very thankful.
After this the potato became very popular
in Ireland, and about the year 1894 was intro
duced into the county Of Lancashire England,
when it gradually spread over the adjoining
counties, and through all England but it was
not until about the middle of the seventeenth
century that the Scotch gave it a trial Pre-
vious to this date, in England, potatoes were
grown principally III vegetable gardens, and oc-
cupied no prominent place in the field culture
During the latter eHd of the eighteenth and
the beginning of the nineteenth century the
potato increased in popularity, and there was a
consequent increase in its culture. But, even
up to 1912, the limited extent of the crop may
be judged from the fact that during that year,
when breadstuffS were extremely dear and
scarce, the British Parliament were urged by
agricultural and political economists and the
press 10 recommend, or pass some law requir-
ing that every farmer should grow one acre of
potatoes for every one hundred acres occup-
ed.
What the original variety first taken from
Virginia was or whether more than one varie-
ty, is not known, and it was not until about
1900 that we find much said of di iferent sorts
At that time Donaldson, in his lNodera 1gri-
culture enumerated thirty-seven varieties as be-
ing cultiva ted in England After it had been
known and cultivated two hundred years, it
was thought necessary by some Of the wsest
and best men to encourage or enforce its growth
by parliamentary action. In twenty years af-
ter this question was agitated, so popular had
it become and so general its use, that no root
could compare with it, either in the quantity,
or in the esteem which it was held by the peo-
pie. In fact, therefore, that plaut gains but
slowly in popular favor is no certain evidence
that it is not valuable, and we should be care
fu how We cry out hnmbng" at everything
new because of apparant failure at first Some
of the new plants lately introduced may uti-
mately effect great moral, social and polti-
cal revolution in this country as did the pota-
to in England.
If the Chinese sugar cane shall enable the
farmers of the North to manufacture sugar
and molasses so as to supply our markets
at cheap rate, who can calculate the highly
moral and social change that will be peaceful,
ly effected by it, compared with which the
greatest political revolution will sink into n Jig
n6cence. We may learn, also, the folly Of
growing one crop so exclusively as TO make its
success or failure matter of such serious i'm
portance-almost question Of life and death
instead of mere matter Of profit or loss for a
season. We have always urged our farmers TO
grow diversity of crops, even where one or
two seemed for q time to be the most D. oft
able, and the failure of the wheat crop in the
Genesee Valley has proved the wisdom of the
advice
The potato with rs is an important crop 1t
is found every day of the year upon the tabl, S
of rich and poor, and is at once luxury and a
necessity. In no part of the country is it grown
so extensively, VIC think, as around Rochester
Immense quantities are shipped every year to
New York, as far west as Chicago, and to most
of the large cities of Canada West No crop
Excepting fruit) pays as well. In 1854 they
averaged one dollar per bushel in 1855, fifty
cents in 1856 one dollar per buSheI and at
the present times are selling at from three to
four shilIings Those who grow largely for
shipping, generally keep their crop over until
spring, when the demand is greater and the
price higher than in the fall For keeping DO
tatoes nothing equals good cellar and some
of our potato farmers have very fine ones This
is much better and more economical than bury.
ing in the ground.
For several years the potatorot has not beer
very seriously though everywet summer the croI
is more or less injured. In 1855 the SUMMED
was very wet, and probably full one-third O
the potatoes were destroyed. In 1856 we haC
not the slightest sign of rot.-Rural Neo
Yorker.
Rkr servant asked her mistress Wbetbe
she could oblige her by going out on a partiC
ular afternoon, as she was going to have par
Il