The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-19
The New Uruguayan Potato.

The American consul at Rouen,
France. furnishes an interesting re-
port on the new South American po-
tota. Solanum Commersonii introduc-
ed to cultivation IL 1900 by the French
Colonial Institute at Marseilles, says
the Rural New Yorker. 1t was found
growing wild in swamps near the
banks of the River Mercedes, Uruguay.
Like many other plants of semi-aquat-
ic habit, ii thrives we'll under culti-
walton in moist upland, but can be
grown in soils too wet and soggy for
ordinary potatoes. In one trial Early
Rose gave 5000 pounds to the acre,
American Marvel $500 pounds, while
the new species turned out $500
pounds. The tubers are large. weighing
from one to two and half pounds each,
and have a wrinkled yellow skin, COW
cred with lenticels or warts, which
disappear after a season or two of
culture. The pulp is greenish. though
some varieties have rose or violet flesh
The taste in the natural state is bit
ter, but the quality has been greatly
improved by three seasons of cTltiva-
ton. AS the roughness of the skin
is ameliorated by culture, the bitter
flavor disappears, and is always much
modified when the tuber is peeled be-
fore cooking. Animals are found to be
fond of the cooked potatoes, not
withstanding their bitterness. The vi
olet-colored variety is said to be best
for human consumption. 1t is said
that hybrids between this dark flesh
kind and choice varieties of the coma
mon potato have already been grown
in California, and are claimed to pos
sess excellent eating qualities.
Free From Disease -lTha oraafaSt
advantage shown by Solanum Com
mersonii, according to the French ex-
perimenters, is almost absolute immu-
nifty from infection by blight rot and
other fungus diseases troubling our
long cultivated varieties of potato.
Last year on the Marselles trial
grounds So per cent. of the Early Rose
tubers were affected by disease. while
in the same ground scarcely per cent.
of the Uruguayan potatoes showed in
dications of rot. The leaves are small
and slender. quite resembling those of
the Irish potato. while the flowers are
of pale violet color and very abun-
dant. They are highly perfumed with
a jasmine-like odor. which has been
extracted in an exquisite and very
persistent perfume. Cattle and horses
eat the foliage very readily. II is
planted i'm early spring i'm level oil
dry sand of clayey slopes, and the po-
tatoes are dug when cold has arrested
the growth in autumn. New stems are
thrown up during the whole growing
season, and tubers are formed in ev-
cry direction, making digging more
| difficult than with the ordinary potato
Big Claims.-The advantages claimed
| for this newcomer are in brief, enor.
nous production, freedom from fun.
! gus diseases. adaptability to moist
soils, easy culture and good quality a:
an animal food. II is not well to bC
! too sanguine over new economic plants
I but il is to be hoped that herein Ii,
! real possibilities for the rehabilita.
ton of the constitution of our rather
/ decadent Irish potato. and tho extern
sion OF its products to wider useful
ness. II the Solanum Commersoni
never proves acceptable as human food
II may have an extended usefulness II
stock feeding. starch making and the
production OF fuel alcohol now 81
largely manufactured In Germany from
refuse and surplus potatoes. But will
] It's admitted susceptibility 10 rapiC
improvement under cultivation II Il
reasonable 20 expect in time our die
tary 10 be enriched by the acquisition
Of an agreeable new vegetable.
| w Y =