Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-04

vegetable, they called 1t in their own IAN
guage battata or potato, from its resemblance
to the sweet potato, which was already IN
general cultivation in Spain, having been one
OF the, presents brought to Queen IsapeIIa Dy
Columbus, on his return from his first voyage
of discovery to the New World :,
Humboldt states that at the time of the dis
covery of America the potato was found grow
ing wild in all the temperate portions OF the
Southern Continent from Chile to New Gra-
NADIA, but not in Mexico. -.
Hleronymus Carbon, monk, IS credlVeu
with having been the first to introduce 1T from
Peru into Spain, while from Spain it was car
ried into Italy. and gradually spread into other
parts Of Continental Europe. :, vi.
In 1886, potatoes were brought from VT
gina and North Carolina to Ireland by the
colonists sent out by Sir Walter. Raleigh, and
were first cultivated on Raleigh's estate near
Cork.
The, Irish soon developed special fondness
Tor the esculent vegetable, and made u
staple article of diet; SO much so that u is
everywhere popularity known as the irish po-
tato.
Some authorities state that it was brought
from Santa Fe, in New Mexico, to England,
by John Hawkins, in 1862; but others claim,
and apparently with good reason, that tins
was not the common potato, but the sweet
potato, and as there is no evidence that 1t
was known to any of the aboriglnes OF the
North American continent, it is further be,
lieved that its occurrence in Virginia and
Carolina was due to an earlier introduction by
the Spaniards.
In work published in 1897, entitled "Gi-
rard's Herbal" the potato, is pictured IN
way to show that there can be no mistake con
corning its identity, and is described as 1ol-
lows under the name of "Battata Nirginlana,
sur Virginianorum, vel Poppes Potatoes OF
Virginia."
'.Ihe roote is thicke. fat and tuberous. not
much differing either in shape, color or taste
from the common potatoes Tor sweet potatoes),
saving that the rootes hereof are not SO great
nor long; some of them as round as ball,
some oval or egge-fashion, some longer and
others shorter; which knobbie rootes are fast
ened unto the stalk with an infinite number
of threddie strings. 1t groweth naturally IN
America, where it was first discovered, as re,
ported, by G. Clusus, since which time /
have received rootes hereof from Virginia,
otherwise called Norembega, which grow and
prosper in my garden as in their own native
countrie"
But though the potato was a native of
America, and had been cultivated to some OK
tent in the Southern States, it unknown
in New England until the early part of the
eighteenth century, when it was introduced
from Ireland where it had already become one
of the staple articles of diet.
In the year IT'S company of about one
hundred and twenty families from the north
Of Ireland came to New England, and after
wandering for several months in search of
in the southern part of New Hampshire, at
place which they called Londonderry, after
the principal city in the country they had left.
They were known as Scotch-lrish, because
adjoining portions of Scotland, had lived in
Ireland for hundred years or more. But
they were Of nearly pure Scotch blood, hay
ing mixed but little with their Irish neigh
bors, with whom, indeed, they were on any
thing but good terms. Finding themselves
prosecuted by their neighbors, and out of ia
vor with the followers of the Church of Eng
land, which was then the State religion, they,
like the Puritans hundred years earlier,
sought freedom to worship Cod in home
beyond the sea. With them they brought the
potato, as part of their legacy from Ireland.
The story is told that some of them, in
their wanderings, made their home for few
months in a neighboring township in Massa-
chusetts.
In the spring they planted their gardens
with potatoes, as they had been accustomed
to do in their mother country; but before
the time for harvesting them had come they
had Joined their friends in Londonderry, leav-
ing the potatoes to the fostering care of their
Puritan neighbours
When the autumn came, and the stalks and
leaves had withered, the Puritans, seeing
nothing which looked as though it could by
any. possibility be eaten. save the little round
parently not having learned that the best
things of life often lie below the surface, care
fully harvested the crop of potato-balls, and
strove by all the various methods of cooking
them edible, but all to no avail
"And So" says one, they gave it up that
those Scotch Irish had unaccountable tastes. !"
But in the spring, after the thick covering
of snow had melted away, when the gardens
were plowed, out rolled the potatoes, fair,
large and in abundance.
Rethnking themselves that they had begun
Mt the wrong end of the plant in their search
for food, they selected such. as had escaped
harm from freezing, and trying again the ef
LII. nd 4boxx