The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-02
POTATO IN MILLER'S GAR.
DENER'S DICTIONARY.

In the edition OF "Miller's Gardeners
Dictionary" edited by Thomas Mar
tyn. professor OF botany in the Uni
versity OF Cambridge. published in two
parts OF two volumes each. London.
1907. large number Of solanums are
listed
1t states that: 1.-THE name OF this
family, solanum. was given by Piny
and others, although the derivation
Is uncertain. Some derive Il from Sol
the sun. Others say II Is Sulanum,
from sus. being supposed 70 be of SER
vice in disorders Of swine; both con-
lectures are improbable.
THE potato. now so generally culti-
waited in Europe appeared at the end
Of the sixteenth century, as a curiosity
in botanic gardens. Gerarde On 1877
informs us that he received roots of II
from Virginia. otherwise called Nor
embega, which grew and prospered in
his garden as in their own native
country. He calls Il Potato os America
or Virginia to distinguish Il from tho
Spanish potato tConvolvulus Batatasl.
which was then much he'ter known
and called exclusively potatoes, pota-
tus or potades. from the Spanish name
Batata.
Though II be pretty clear that the
potato came to us from Virginia. yet
II does not follow that II is originally
indigenous Of that country; but It is
more probable that It is a native OF
Peru. whence the Spaniardst might
have II Immediately.
'Cteca, Gomara ard Acosta inform
US that in the noichhorh0od OF Quito
there IS n pant with tuhercrIs roots
called papas. Of which the inhabitants
make a sort OF bread. and they also
eat them both boilei and roasted in
the embers They are supposed to be
not the Spanish. but our common po-
tato; as also those which the Virgin
ians call OpenanCk or Openawk
tprohably the Indian names).
THE potato which was so common
in Italy in and before the sixteenth
century was doubtless the Spanish or
Convolvuus Batatas; for II !s said 70
have been eaten as commonly with
mutton as turnips or parsn!ps, and
! even to have been used for feeding
hogs. II this had been our common
potato how as Clusius remarks, could
'ho Niio"ieuse VI 'i4l' 'O'' nave c'eii
so late In coming TO us; ana now conId
they have been ignorant OF 1t at Iadua
I'll he sent 1t to them from Frank
tort7
.'Clusius himself owed his first ac-
quaintance with the potato TO Philp
de Sivry, Lord OF Walhain, &C, In
flanoers' VINO sent MIN Two roo's' win
the fruit, to Vienna in the beginning
OF the year 1883 ana the year Hollow
ing drawing OF oFanca WIN the
mower.
Lister IN MS journey TO Rarls
December 10. 1889 INFORMS US that the
potato was then scarcely 10 De Ionho
in the French markets when was SC
great a relief to the people OF Eng
land; but there was store or Jerusalem
artichokes; which root seems 10 nave
been almost as commonly cultivated
m England al the END OF the sixteenth
and beginning OF the sevente enth cen
fury as the virginia potato mas beer
in the eighteenth.
III was cultivated In France aoou
the year l742. but IN l149 II wa
treated with great contempt both II
the country ana at Paris ana lei
wholly to the lower people AFTER
wards. however II became quite u,
fashion FOR time ana then tell agali
Into dlsrepute' In l''l M. faigue
presented 10 the ACADEMY OF science
, loa1 or Dread maze OF wheat, TIC am
potatoes IN equai quah'l'.es. IN 80
NJ Psrmenuer maze Dread oi po'a'oe
only. :.
INC polato maze us ior'une u
Germany nuch sooi'er' nIeau Is SUI
70 nave peen Hlaoe WIN Al tntre -
, early as l.al. ga" ~ cui'4Vateu Il
the open neias Oh 9uapia III 'oo,
In Italy tne potato mas never Deel