The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-02-15
The Potato.
ABOUT ITS HISTORY, VALUE, AND CULT.

AboUr ITS HISTORY, VALUE, AND CULT.
r. .TuRE. q , Il, %
The Common Potato (iSolanun, tube.
rosu,n), is ascertained to be a native of
South America, it having been found
both in Buenos Ayres AMI Chill. It is
peculiar to a,,hilly and rocky soil and
.fonrishes near the seashore. AT the
time Of discovery ofAmerica, it was un
doubtedly grown in the the Andes of
South America, although unknown in
N exico, and only shortly after in the
United States The first colonists sent
out to Virginia by Sir Walter Raleigh,
in 1884, found it growing wild in that
State. The wild potato has white flow.
crs, its tubers are small, rarely attaiaine
n length Of two inches, and have an in.
sipid, taste. From these, by .judicious
cultivation, have sprung the almost in.
Vulnerable number of varieties at pres
ent cultivated, and adapted to all eli.
mates and sections Of the inhabited
world. From Virginia it was introduced
into England and Ireland in 1886. 1t
was first planted by Sir Walter Raleigh
on his estate near Cork its first prodnc
tion was cherished and cultivated for
food in that country before it's value was
known in England In 1897 Gerard
had this plant in his garden under the
name of Bottato Nrgin'ana, and advised
1t to be eaten as delicate dish; not as
common food. In the seventeenth cen.
tnry it found its way over the rest Of
Europe, but its. s.fullest reputation was
not obtained till the nineteenth century,
when, it's innumerable varieties shed
their blessings on all the nations of the
civilized world. ,.H 3fo q"
The potato is one of the most impor.
tant tarninaceous plants ever given to
word There ia no article ofkuman diet
that enters so generally into consump.
ton, and from no other crop that can
be grown will the public derive so much
They are MT only yroufisniHg ahn heaiTMy
but are rel d'by. nearly every one. we
Ecan, in a measure, comprehend It's I'm,
portance as food, when from its partial
failure through disease or rot, asa few
wears since was the case in Ireland, star
yation stared the inhabitants in the lace
causing untold misery and distress but
for foreign supplies of food, actual star
walton and death would have been th'
necessary consequence among larg
percentage of the people. 1t wom'
| then seem that 1T should become maj
ter. of much importance to noursh an
cultivate with the incest skill plant {
| such value in tie domestic economy
man.
1t would be vain in mo to attempt
give particular rules for cultivate
Which might be universally correct; f
what might be suited to one locality
circumstance might, under different q
cumstances, in different localities, pro
A entirely unsuitable. A few things a
agreed upon as applicable, and shou
be followed everywhere. Potato
flourish and give the best returns
high, rather dry ground, in heart a
! ! tilth, mellow soil; ;'plant early; it man
= ed in hill, good compost, well rotted 9
m vastly superior to fresh yard manu-
i. which is; Of tho two, injurious. to
or crop; low instead of high hill ,cultu
aeano working anongafter blossoming
ar when fully ripe; not leave them IN
ty ground through the fall rains; al
le, them to dry 50 that the dirt
ID, fal! off before picking up store then
or, q dry airy celler in small mtead OF 10
m, bhlks; keep it at as low, even temp
., 4 400 - s.,t;l,a '.v;tbo,,t frpezinc