The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-06-09
indigenous Potatoos.


in Arizona by Prof. Lennon. They
were found in a cleft of the highest
peaks north of the Apache pass, under
a tangle Of prickly bushes and cacti.
Eager to know if the Solanum found
was bulb bearing, he carefully uprooted
the little tuber, which proved to be an
undoubted representative of the true
potato family. According to the re-
searches and reasonings Of Humboldt,
this was the location to look for the
home Of the species from which our first
potatoes sprang. In May last, Prof.
Lennon again set out in search of
more specimens, choosing the Huachuca
mountains as his point Of exploration.
These mountains have two peaks over
10000 feet high, with sides furrowed
into deep canons. those Of the northeast
being filled with trees, among which
are maple and ash. In July last he dis
covered the potato plant he was search
ing for on the southwest side Of the
range, hidden among the rich bottom
soil of dell in high valley. A few
plants Of the white species were found
in full bloom, and farther ON blue
blossoms were found. The white
tiowered specimens formed tubers on
shorter subterranean stems than the
blue ones. The blue fowered potato
plants sent off their runners from eigh-
teen inches to two feet. July 70, they
were in full bloom.
The blossoms were large, and the
white lowered were of creamy white
color, witQ greenish mid-ribs to it's CO.
rolla lobes. The subterranean stems
were not longer than those of our COM
mon potato. The blossoms of the blue
f1owered are smaller, bright purple,
with pale white midribs to the corolla.
with fifeteen to twenty flowers to a
head. They are found at an altitude
of about 5000 feet in Tanners canon,
and some of the plants were Q feet
high. Later in the season they pro-
duced potato balls Of unusual size, COM
paratively speaking.
These native species of potatoes,
which may have been and very likely are
the original native stock from which
all our potatoes now used have sprung.
deserve fair trial and careful propa-
CATION to develop them to the size now
attained by our best potatoes. by the
1st of September the blue lowered
plants formed blush colored potatoes,
oblong, about II inches long by half as
wide, and a third as thick, with from
four to ten unmistakable potatoes on
each plant. The white flowered plants
produced white potatoes, nearly round,
from half an inch to one inch in dame
ter. These potatoes are unquestionably
indigenous.
Still another variety wac found near
the summit of a peak 10000 feet high,
under the shade Of fir, pine and poplar
trees, growing in soil kept moist during
the greater part of the year by melting
SHOWS. Its nodding balls of ripened
seeds were surrounded by golden-rods
and brilliant asters. Their tubers were
tinted with purple, and seed balls were
either solitary or in pairs. Prof. Lem
mon brought back with him over three
quarts of these small potatoes, COM
prising the different varieties, besides
some seed balls.
A hermit in these mountains, whom
Prof. Lennon interested in his dis
covery, has recently written him that
in digging up the bed of an old pond he
has secured lot of these potatoes,
perfectly white as large as hens eggs,
which on being cooked tasted well, and
have all the appearance of very fine po-
tatoes. Various cultivators have man
ifested the utmost interest in Prof.
Lemmon's discovery, and are making
careful preparations to cultivate the
specimens he has forwarded them.