The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-04
CELEBRATING THE POTATO.

The potato is to have Its terceuten
ary, and what benefactor' of the spe
cies, human or vegetable, has better
right? Some may think, indeed, that
the tribute would be more reasonable
if offered the mortal who conferred
that boon upon his kind But it is the
Irish Gardeners association which
runs the show" and too many of those
honest fellows are unacquainted with
Sir Walter Raleigh. They will be
quite familiar with his name at least
by the end Of November, when the
great conference and exhibition of po-
tatoes will be edifying Dublin. AS a
matter of fact, however, it was not
Raleigh who took home the first tu-
bers. The shipment may have been
made with his approval, and he GER
tainly fastened TO plant potatoes in his
garden at Youghal: but the actual i'm
porter was Theodore Herriott, one Of
Raleigh's crew. Doubtless, he got
them in Virginia, for Gerard obtain
ed some from thence a very few years
later; in the frontispiece Of the famous
Herbal" ne appears with flower
Of the potato in his hand. But how
did the plant reach Virginia? As
suredly, the English did not find it
there on arrival. Long afterwards,
an observant colonist remarked that
the Indians had no word for the potato.
The Mexicans did not know it. In
fact, the culture was limited to the
western coast Of South America. and
it ceased in New Granada. So recent
was the introduction in Brazil, that
they called it 1.-The English batata."
But the Spaniards had carried II
home before 1885, and there is no rea-
sonable doubt that English privateers
found q quantity aboard some ship
they took. and planted the tubers in
Virginia; for we have 1t on record that
the Spaniards carried supply among
the provisions of the voyage.
The story Of the potato Is really in
teresting. not to botanists and econo-
mists alone, If it be properly treated.
Doubtless, the Irish Gardeners asso-
citation will provide . summary OF il,
and IL that little work be entrusted TO
a competent person. not afraid to en-
liven his theme with anecdote and
cheerful reflections, it may be a feat
ure" Of the exhibition. One would like
to hear what the Spanish chroniclers
have to say about the Introduction
there. Seeing how bitterly and sue
cessfully the Roman Catholic church
opposed IL In some countries, IL might
have been expected that the holy in
QUESTION would be memorable. Mr..
John Morley states that the English
Puritans regarded the potato with hor-
ror, because IL is not mentioned In
the Bible: he has good authority. no
doubt, but we never CHANGED TO meet |
with it The inquisi;ion was friendly
enough. however. 50 far as appears
But ia France and Germany the church |
succeeded in excluding the potato for q |
century and a half The peasantry |
were told that IL bred leprosy. and Tar |
got only won the day By persuadins |
Louis XVI and the queen TO wear 20 |
tato blossoms 81 court ball Scot |
land was nearly as late. The earliest |
there Is In l10i, when the |
duchess OF Buccleuch was furnished \
with a peck bough; IN Edinburgh for
two shillinss and sixpence- This must
have been q great rarity. for the next \
reference Is thirty years later. when
We md potatoes used as . supper dish
by the earl OF Egiintoun- In ITiS
oertsin Graham planted a field al
Kilsyth, and frss sent the produce 10