The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-03-09

asn that the good people there are very fond
Il all me fnisnamed sweet potato has no
\ lgae Whatever To the title That pleasant vege-
N aple belongs 10 the morning-glory family,
{ ksanlcay being known as Ipomoea batatas.
#sas again betrayfng d fictitious relationship
II we other family. because the batata is a
wye term for the real potato as well.
sssn, u IS un1ustly suspected that this sweet
sasalo - me vegetable actually brought by
NeAe ana Hawkins into England, where it
FaSsquefaded for some years as the genuine
sQM american food of contemporary ru-
q aN II must be understood. however. that
ElssWeet potato is likewise a native of Amer
y Out its original home was probably the
i w. hlaies and Central America. At any
\ Ivy y grows IN the tropics and subtropics
\ ~ aaas It's climatic limitations at about the
E1upefature and altitude at which the Irish
sSao oeslhs to thrive. The yam Is another
4 sT III OF the sweet potato, although
Wy oo, Is an error. for the yams-diosco-
sav-oslohs to group Of climbing plants.
n hulaper OF varieties are found throuebour
uopcs ana subtropics, and they are cul-
&Ms' $780, y Ooth fhe East and the West Indies
I'M. iools ana tubers may resemble the no.
$ ny. anu the tomato is related to it. but thew
s..ss ny oe COMPOUNDED with the far better
ssNA vegetable. which alone is entitled to tho
aae The commercial ana domestic o,oasis
a,a ,has' ssiouser, however, than the scientific
.,n,, asse ~, no attempt should be made to
n q. 'nem IN the popular mind.
common, or white, Or Irish potato ia I'M.
Na,a american all through. Its prehis-
Sba.. anu aboriginal habitat was the western
%A.i,h s y ne southern continent. from the
M a'o'hoco OF Quito in Ecuador. or az some
I'm. a, ssea from that Of Bogota in Colombia TO
Il ~, .n.fal region OF Chile.
i usauy, the potato is a solannm ono ~
INV auss diversified plants of the vegetable
Sss aas.. ooihethlng like 1000 varieties have
shssa sltpeu, out, assuming that several Of
hst, !. ~ lot substantially accurate, there 70.
S.n,,s., east soO which are well known u "a
%bn..a 4Die mat only about 40 varieties h,ve
kps,s.. ieaVes and produce tubers on tho roots
saGtes A.. SOUND and that these special
|sRse tnbaro,, e"teny or American origin. All
gpappn, plnnate-leaved kinds of the
|Iave oa nc nearly related and very probably
ea no,,ts o,-aaoh origin. This first habitat ~
III npch j. - peen laid by some students mite
&stopjc avas ,.s sake OF poetic harmony as for
NJ borna s~ Y. Nude, in Central America near
ss ss's ct, Of the primitive maize but ,tA in "g al
a honor SN~ef'ca deserves and will hold
tsa edible potat,
Nh and s. po.aso, from which all the Enro-
saped p,as ''saieah variations have been de.
Ne inhahitaa. undoubtedly cultivated bv even
8suercs -, OF the west coast ,f co,,.t
q M wno occupied the land before the no1 an
asrr " meas. When the spanish co 'ns ar
food sua aaere they found one great sonroa
hos sapoly in this native yesetab, s'"'I Jn
II e eumeFer It was not a coast nrod,et IN In
u hspp sse there semed unfavorable, ' a ,o
Va sna uyAe a.; to grow on the lower ,av Ss1a
!, lima a !, Insignificant and wa tS 'eg Th
s. Dstase to grew an altitude, haSsy Of aDo ns
sas,a In southern gs Psrn nd inside t
sihp ss among the ns rock 5s5 6i1s
aefe III cl,as, along the coas. into cb;,s
s, y suitable even l near t1a and con.
'aSles. there is iou rar tb 5as o coast; for