West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-09-27
HISTORY OF THE POTATO.
INTRODUCTION OF THIS KscuLENr
TUBER INTO EUROPE.
The New Worlds Contribution o the
Old Worlds Larder-HOw The
Vegetable Became POPULAR.

Vegetable Became Popular.
Wise men call the potato Solanum tu-
berosum, while the Frcnchman calls Il
pomme de terre, or apple of the earth.
Like tobacco, the potato is one OF the
native products OF the new world Of
America No one knows how the potato
took notion TO travel from Quito to
Iirginiai but Sir Walter Raleigh in the
sixteenth century transported the potato
from the latter State, and first planted il
In Europe on his own estate near Cork.
For many years the potato was very
scarce, and as late rs 1872 the potato was
considered by many people as At food for
only cattle or swine. Gradually people
learned the value of this ''food root" for
human beings, and the seed was carried
from country TO country. Pefore the
French began TO raise the potato, there
was war between Prussia and France.
aud many Frsnchmen were taken prison
crs by this Prussians. The latter had
many potatoes, and determined TO feed
the Frenchmen with nothing else. This is
said to have made'the prisoners very angry
Tor this was new food and not much
relished by Frenchmen, and they thought
they ought to be supplied with food they
were used to eating.
But one OF the prisoners, whose name
was Parmentier, made the best he could
OF his misfortune, and determined to
learn all he could about the cultivation
oil the tuber, and in regard to the man
ner OF preparing IL for the table, intend.
ing when the war was over TO introduce
the potato into France. His countrymen
had queer ideas about the potato, and n
prominent one was that they produced
disease in those who ate them. But
when the Frenchman returned home.
Parmentier tried to interest the people of
France in the potato crop.
He Is said to have gone to Louis XVI
and begged him TO give him land on
which TO raise potatoes. The king
granted his request, and the potatoes
were planted. When the crop was In
blossom, Parmentier gathered n nice
bouquet OF the flowers and carried them
to King Louis. The court people laughc
at such queer present, but the good
king took the blossoms and wore them
all that day in his button-ho This
approval by the king fed the hopes Of
Parmentier, and he also knew that the
king was anxious to encourage any new
food or new industry that seemed to
promise benefit TO his subjects; for,
like King Louis XIV, who even tried to
encourage the industry Of spider culture,
and ordered a coat made from spider
silk for his own use, so ] ouis XVI
thought he saw something useful in the
potato.
When the people saw the king really
wearing the potato flowers they were
more ready to approve OF potatoes also
In short time the people became so
anxious to get the blossoms and the pota-
toes that guards had to be stationed
around the field that Parmentier was
culsivating. But the guards were not
stationed there at night, therefore the
potatoes were all stolen. Parmentier
was delighted to hear this news, for IL
showed that potatoes were getting TO be
a popular food, although there were
some people who were angry and accused
Parmentier OF "inventing' the new food.
In the course of time Parmentier gave n
dinner at which each dish was potato
cooked In some different way, and Par.
mentier was greatly honored for having
introduced the potato into France.
The Prussians seem TO have become
very fond of potatoes quite early in
potato history. 1t is said that at one
time Frederick III of Prussia took mp the
cause Of the division of bavaria, and
marched with his men into Bohemia ;
but he warded off the battle so well that
the men had but little TO do but 10 roast
potatoes, therefore this campaign was
called the Potato War"
The sweet potato, BdfdtGs eaulis, is
the potato spoken OF by the old English
writers. 1t is Of a different genus, and
was known long before America was
known to Europeans. Some writers
think it was cultivated by the ancient
Chinese. One writer says that the
Spanish sent the potato to England, and
the English people thought them very
fine, and they were "much set by"
The sweet potato is a natl Of Southern
Asia
The sweet potato was spoken OF by
Gerarde, the English botantist, who
wrote the curious "Herbal" in 1897. lie
says OF potatoes that they "are roots
which do strengthen and comfort nature,
and arc used 70 lie eaten roasted in the
ashes. Some to give them the greater
grace in eating do boyle them with
prunes, and so cate them likewise max.
ing these comfortable and delicate
meales, called in shops morSeui plqcsn ,fir,
and divers others such like" Gerardo
recommends tnat thc roofs be eaten as q
delicate dish, and not rs common food.
Ini519 the sweet potato was mentioned
by Pigafclla as being used in Bra il a
an article Of food by the Indians.
The Peruvians, in 1866, made bread
from the now common potato. which
they called ctunno. Heriot says that
these potatoes grow in damp soil, many
hanging together as II fixed on ropes.
AZ the old German ''dve o'clock tea.
drinkings" they had what was called
potato talk, that is, a chit-c chat, when
neighbors Of the 'gentler sex take their
work to the house Of muster, and talk
chiefly Of the daiuties Of the table. their
ingredients, admixture and the methods
Of cooking them."-Ms0 York Iadspsy
dent.
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