Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-25
AGRICULTURAL. a
THE POTATO.
It's IHistOry-NIOre of rCuIture-ncshoA
OF ihybridizing-Thc New Varieties


Written for the Free Prcssl
The potato, although native OF tropi
cal and semi-tropical America, is no,
strictly speaking tropical plant, mas
much ms it is indigenous to the high table
lands OF the Andes. 1t has been found
growing wild in the forests of Bogota
$500 feet above the sea.level. The tubers
OF the wild plant are quite small, this
Deing the only ymaterial difference between
1t and the cultivated varieties. The no.
tato was used for food in America long
before its discovery by Columbus. II
was probably first carried to Europe by
Spaniards from the neighborhood Of
quito IN the early part of the 10th cen.
tury. Although first cultivated in Spain
1t soon spread into the Netherlands. italy
and Burgundy. 1t is supposed to have
been carried to ireland by slave trader.
hawkins by name, in 1865. Sir Francis
Drake was the.means of its introduction
into England in 1856 and it was also car
Red over by Sir Walter Raleigh some
time later.
Inc potato, however. was cultivated in
france by Chisins, distinguished
frehch botanist, some thirty years ante
nor to Its introduction into England by
SIR Francis. Az as early date as 1859
Iedro Ceica speaks of the people of
quito as eating faripaceous root called
'papas. The probability is that this
was the Batata Of a later day and the DO
tato OF the present For long time our
potato (Solanum Tuberosum) was classed
with Batata, the Indian word signifying
sweet potato. They were both referred
to under this name by English writer's
down to the middle of the 18th century.
ln 1897 in his "Herbal" or General His
tory of Plants" John Gusard describes
and gives cut Of it under the name Of
Batata Virgiana.
The soil and climate of Ireland proved
so favorable for the potato that the cul.
ture rapidly extended and it soon became
the most important OF any crop being the
only article of food with some of the low
or class. There were also other reasons
for its popularity besides that of adapta.
bility to soil. climate, ETC., not the least
of which was the fact that it was less Lin.
BILE to destruction by the enemy during
the religious wars then raging .th,.n grain
or maize. Its introduction into Scotland
was attended with some difficulty, as the
Puritans objected to it from the fact that
it is not mentioned in the Bible. Its cul-
tivation was not general there until about
1892. In 1916, however, Essex county
alone furnished the product of 100 acres
Tor the London market. An English jour
nal OF somewhat recent date in speaking
OF the potato says considering the
importance of this root and the amount
OF food 1t furnishes at the present day it
is matter of surprise that it should have
mad hafprn In L.
and fifty years before its value was dis
covered by the generality of people. :"
hilsyth, Stirlingshire, Eng, is noted as
the firsf place where potatoes were given
open culture.
Thomas Prentiss. day laborer, raised
small plot in his garden and realized
from their sale, what was to him small
fortune. Parmentier, medical student
OF France, did much to introduce the po-
tato into general cultivation. 1t proved
blessing to many Of the poorer class
who were victims OF privation and misery
during times OF famine. Popular preju-
dice against 1t ran SO high as to lead to
the belief that it produced leprosy and
other loathsome diseases, also that it
poisoned the soil where it was grown,
etc. In parts of Germany the govern
ment took compulsory measures to pro-
mote its culture.
The potato crop at the present time is
OF vast Importance, probably ranking
third in competition with all other food
plants. Its cultivation has become al
most universal throughout the world as
it is found in nearly every location where
man exists. Even in the north OF Ice
land it struggles with the cold and barren
soil, producing a scant yield Of small, wa
terry tubers. In the temperate regions Of
the United States it ands very oongen.