Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-29
THE POTArO's SUCCESSOR.
4 New Vegetable That Northwestern Farm.
crs are Going TO Cultivate.
rrcr, H.. c, p.,,y fs,y..

n new NegetSDte Ihat Northwestern arm
crs are Going TO Cultivate.
From the St. Paul Globe.
Albert Meyer, the chemist of saltwater, was
in St. Paul yesterday, and in the course Of .
conversation on the potato crop and the good
price to farmers gave an interesting talk Of a
new tuberiferous plant that he though. would
be introduced in Minnesota and become as
much of staple as the potato.
viii ii flourish in this soil and climate?'
Undoubtedly. I will tell Won about il. A
few years ago a scientist discovered in Japan -
plant resembling the potato and sent samples
OF 1t to Berlin and Paris to be experimental
on. These experiments have been favorable
successes, and the new potato has been extern
sively introduced in Berlin and Paris. espe-
cially In hotels and restaurants. number of
farmers in our vicinity. with whom converscd
on the subject, are willing TO experiment on
the plant next season. The ROYAL Prussian
Society OF Berlin has taken pains TO make ex-
periments with the plant. The scientific name
OF this plant is 'Stachys tuberifera. but as TO
their form they might be called pine cones.
'Stachys athnis' is another name. and lately
they have given il the name 'Stachys Sieboldii.'
The cultivation Is the same as the old potato,
and there have been found over 100 knobs in
one hill; some say rs many 800 bat this is
probably exaggerated. They are, of course,
to the Garden Flora, the organ of the society,
the analysis of the fruit is:
water. ...........-.-..--. -........-..-... 1888
iFosSih. .-.........-...--.-.-.. LOO
Amide. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. l67
Fat. OILS
carbohydrate Principi galactan). 800. 1857
Senuiosc. .....-.....-. -----.-..-..--..- os3
Ashes . lO3
There is neither starch nor sugar, but ga
lactan, a substance between both. Stachys
afi,nls Of tuberifera is agreeable tasting veg
eiable when boiled in salt water and served
with butter and parsley sauce. Some people
like them seethed in oil. but that is merely a
matter Of taste. Prepared like .pommes de
tcrre frites' potatoes cut in small slices and
fried In butter), they are claimed TO be a deli
clous dish. The taste is at first like that of
sweet potato, but one will soon feel a very fine
plquant taste. They do not need TO be peeled
but are only washed clean in water, which is
another blessing to the housekeeper. They are
kept In the ground as late as possible. and pre-
served packed in sand in the cellar during the
winter months.
Exposed to the air they will shrink and lose
their nice white mother-of-peari like color.
The plant is winter-hardy and thriyes in any
sou. Frost does not hurt them and to have
them always fresh they are left in the ground
and dug as wanted. In our climate it is best
to Keep them in ditch or in sand in the cellar.
w. PerrirS, inspector of the Royal Botanical
Harden IN Berlin. informs me that the produc-
tlon Is very large and that there are many en-
thuSlasts in favor CT the new plant in that city,
which prophesies the plant great future. The
expectations of high prices and large Yields will
induce a good many farmers 10 make a trial
with the new plant. ! have already quite q
number OF orders for seed