The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-01-19
farmers department.
The Potato
AMOUR ms n1sroRY, VALUE AND culrURf


ABOUT rs HISTORY, VALUE, AND CULTURE
The Common Potato (SoldHun ~
l,,osuni J, is ascertaued to be a native
ofSouth America, it having been found
both in Buenos Ayres and Chill. 1t
is peculiar TO mlly and rocky soil
and flourishes near the sea shore AT
the time of the discovery of America,
it was undoubtedly grown in the
Andes of South America, although
unknown in Mexico, and only shortly
after in the United States. The first
colopists sent out to Virginia by Sir
Walter Raleigh in 1881, found IT grow
ing wild in that State, The wild po-
tato has white flowers, its tubcrs are
small, rarely attaining a length of two
inches, and have an insipid taste.
From these, by judicious cultivation,
have sprung the almost innumerablo
number of varieties at present cultivat-
cd. and adapted to all climates and
sections of the inhabited world. From
Virginia il was introduced into Eng
land and ireland in 1856 Ii was first
planted by Sir Walter Raleigh on his
estate near Cork; its first production
was cherished ana cultivated for food
IN that country before its value was
known in England la 1897 Gerard
had this plant in his garden under the
name Of Bafiaia I0giniaaa, and advised
it to be eaten as delicate dish, not as
=. /,
century it found its way over the rest
of Europe, but its fullest reputation
was not obtained till the nineteenth
century, when innumerable varieties
she'd their blessings on all the nations
of the civilized world.
The potato is one of the most i'm
portant faiinaceous plants ever given
10 the world. There is no article Of
human diet that enters so generally
into consumption, and from no other
crop that can be grown, will the public
derive so much nourishment as from
this esculent. They are not only
nourishing and healthy, but are relish
ed by nearly every one We can, in a
measure, comprehend its Importance
as food, when from its partial failure
through disease or rot, as a few years
since was the case i'll Ireland, starya-
ton stared the inhabitants in the face
causing untold misery and distress
but for foreign supplies of food, actua
starvation and death would have beer
the necessary consequence among {
large percentage of the people. /
would then seem that it should become
matter of much importance to nour
ish and cultivate with the incest skill
plant of such value in the domesti
economy of man.
1t would be vain in me to attemp
to give particular rules for cultivation
which might be universally correct
for what might be suited to one local
ity or circumstance might, under dit
ferent circumstances, i'll different lC
calities, prove entirely unsuitable.
few things are agreed upon as applies
bic, and should be followed ever.
where. Potatoes flourish and give ii
best returns on high, rather d
ground, in good heart and tilth, me
low soil; plant early; if MANFRED
hill, good compost, well rotted al
fine, is as good as any thing, and vas
ly superior to fresh yard manur
which is, of the two, injurious to Il
crop; low instead of high hill cultur
no working among after blossomin
dig when fully ripe, not leave them
the ground through the fall rains;
low them to dry so that the dirt "
fall off before picking up; store the
in adry airy cellar in small instead
large bulks; keep it as low, even te
perature, as practicable without fire.
ing. These general rules, if follow
b will give results that will satisfy
most particular, III the opinion of
writer, who has seen them tried