THE POTATO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 9092, 1 May 1890, Page 2

THE POTATO.

It is a curious aad singular fact that the history of the introduction of the potato into Europe is wrapped in impenetrable mystery. The first mention of the potato is to be found, curiously enough, in Shakspore, where Palatal! says in the Merry Wives of Windsor, " Let the sky rain potatoes/’ Prom this we might infer that the vegetable was common in England, in the reign of Elizabeth; but that was not so. The potatoes there alluded to were the sweet, or Spanish potato, which the botanist, Gerard, says “ strengthened and comforted nature, and are used to be eaten roasted in the ashes; some when they be so roasted do sop them in wine, and "others, to give them the greater grace in eating, do boyle them with prunes, and so eate them.” Tradition dates the introduction of the potato into the British Isles at or about the year 1586, and Youghal, in the South of Ireland, is named as the spot whereon it was first cultivated.

They were brought there by Sir Walter Raleigh on his return from America in 1586, and Heriot, who accompanied him says; —“They are good food either boiled or roasted, and are called by the Indians ‘ openawk. 5 55 The tuber is, however, a native of Chili and Peru, where it is now found wild. The term “potato 5 ' is derived from the Indian name “battata, 55 but the Irish have dubbed it “pratee and phottie, 55 which are, of course, merely Hibernisms of the original name. For many years after its introduction into Ireland it was only grown as a curiosity, and even in 1663 the Irish themselves had not used it as a common article of food, for in that year we find the gardener at Toughal writing to the Riyal Society that “ it was very good to'pickle for winter salads and also to preserve, 55 The potato was introduced from Ireland into England in the year 1633, and was first grown on anything like an extensive scale in Lancashire, which may still be considered the premier County for its growth in England. Its progress, however, was extremely slow, and even in the year 1719 we look in vain for its name in a list called “The Complete Gardener, 55 published in that year. In whatever way it slowly came into general use, we may now justly look upon it as the most valuable esculent with which we are acquainted, and may safely rank it very closely after wheat as one of the foods of man. William Cobbetb maintained that its continual use had a pauperising effect upon the peasantry of Ireland, but its immense consumption in that country and the poverty and wretchedness of its inhabitants is perhaps, after all, only an unhappy coincidence. Not only in England and with us here, but in many other countries where the potato forms a staple article of food, it adds materially to the comfort of the working classes, and can only be regarded as a great national blessing. The uses, besides that of being a highlyvalued article of food, to which the potatoes are put are numerous. The tapioca of commerce is produced entirely from the potato, whilst starch is probably obtained more from it than from any other source. To the potato we must look for the production of a vast quantity of cheap stock spirit, from which is produced brandy, whiskey, or gin, according to the flavouring, which is added:—One hundred pounds of potatoes will produce six to eight quarts of proof spirit, and its manufacture on a large scale forms a large trade in England and on the Continent. When wheat is dear, the potato was, and perhaps still is, largely used in England for the purpose of adulterating flour. Indeed, it maybe a grave question whether a wheaten flour is not improved rather than otherwise by the introduction of potato flour. It improves the lightness of the bread as well as that of all binds of pastry, and it is said that flour which contains a proper modicum of potato will, sack for sack, turn out more quartern loaves than the pure article alone. Another product of the potato is sugar. Until the introduction of beetroot, sugar was largely made out of the potato. By the addition of sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) to the crushed tubers, a chemical change takes place, and the starch is converted into a thick, sugary syrup, which, after the acid is neutralised by the add-on of chalk, crystallizes into srqsa.. P*lts sweetening properties, hopper, are/only about one-half that o f cane sugar v / The stems and ler ;ea* 'of the plant/ yield a substance krjvm as solanine, which is a most deader poison. Briti?! gum is anoCaor article of eommjjrce which is derived from the r Asp, toeing highly heated, . - . - jito " dextrine, 55 which

is the substance now used for making A sticky side of our postage stamps. But it is as the food of man thaWf potato is now most prized. It supplv nearly all the substances required for tb nourishment of the human frame. It $ however, of little value for the formatio of muscle, and persons fed upon it aloi cannot endure prolonged muscular exe tion.

It is supposed that the Irishman who, i his own country, shows a disincliiSition f< labour, easily performs work of ths mo laborious description as soon as he locat himself in any other country, where _1 obtains a larger proportion of flesh-f ormir food. There are now almost innumerab varieties of potatoes in commerce, at many modes of planting them, &c.; hi these matters I will treat upon later on. NEW AMERICAN VARIETIES: The potato at this season of the yei generally occupies the attention of t] growers, and while they are discussing .tl merits or demerits of the varieties th have grown this year, I think that a. list new varieties largely grown in America, ai a short account of each variety, will, pe haps, give an impetus to some to impo some of them into this Colony and te their merits, as we are sadly in the want a new strain in the place of the prese worn out varieties so often seen in t market. Any information respecting t. list below will be supplied through t‘ editor of this paper. Boley’s Northern Spy is an ohlon roundish potato, slightly flattened on t sides, and as perfect in form and shape it is possible for a potato to be. The sk is a clean white, slightly tinged with roi the eyes are few and shallow, flesh sn< white, dry and mealy when cooked, and the finest flavour imaginable. The hau is strong and vigorous, with uprig growth. The tubers lie close and comps in the hill; they are very early, ripentii at the same time as the American Roi and are nearly all of large size, 90 peves of the ‘ crop being fine large potatoes. This variety originated wi Mr John Boley, of New York, and claims that it is the most productive pots he has ever seen, producing from e hundred to eight hundred bushels to t acre.

June Eating is a seedling from Eurel It is a white-skinned potato, snow whi flesh, dry and flowery when cooked, ai of good flavour.- It is remarkable that tl variety produces three times as mai tubers as the Early Rose (and the Ear Rose with us is considered to be a gre cropper). The tubers are very regular shape, taking to the eye, and very suitab for market. Green Mountain is a large, oblon roundish potato, somewhat flattened on i side, of handsome appearance, pure whi skin, flesh snow white, excellent quail either when baked or boiled, and will kje in sound condition until late in the sprai It is very productive, producing betyfe six hundred and seven hundred bushels the acre, and always meets with ready B£ in the market. / Empire State.—The tubers are oblong siiape, with a smooth white skin, shalh eyes, flesh pure white, and of good quali and in every way a good table potat much grown in America for main crop. Rose Seedling is a robust grower. T skin is a deep rose colour, flesh snow whil dry and mealy when cooked. It is eno mously productive, and its keeping propi ties are good. This variety ripens fair early, grows to a good size, is very compf in the hill, and a good potato for marki It has the reputation of standing drong better than any other potato in Americf General M’Clellan—This is rouadii inclined to oblong, in shape, smooth, whi skin, yellow cast, giving them a ve handsome appearance; eyes ate few a shallow; flesh, snowy white, dry, fii grained, and extra fine flavour wh cooked. The tubers ate large and fir and solid to the core. A great crop] and a splendid keeping potato, adapted for heavy or lighAsoiw thought to be the potato forthe millioi.

Pride of the Eield is an oblong pota somewhat flattened on the sides.' T akin is a dull russetty white, splenc quality when cooked; a really good tal potato. It is a great cropper, and plant side by side with the American Rose, w yield three times the quantity of that or popular variety. The tubers are large a handsome, and are much grown for marl purposes. State of Maine is a roundish, ohlo variety, with smooth, white skin; fl« snow white, mediumearly, excellent qual as a table potato, and enormously p ductive. The tubers grow to a fair si but have an advantage in being all of ( suitable size for table; Early Sunrise.—This is a popular ea variety, and is a great favourite as early market potato. It is very prod tive and of good quality, regular in aha and has well established itself with 1 early growers. Watson’s Seedling.—This is a seedl from the American Rose. The skin is < light rose colour, very few and shal eyes, tubers are oblong |n shape, and v much resembles the American Rose. flesh is exceedingly white, fine grain, < and mealy when cooked, a great crop] and is about ten days earlier than American Rose, commands a ready sale the market, as all red-skinned potatoes in America. Early Perfection.—This potato is cr< ing a good deal of sensation in Amer owing to its extreme earliness, be several days earlier .than any vari they have yet introduced. It has b grown side by side with Early Mai Vanguard, Early Mayflower, Early Bea of Hebron, and several other ei varieties, and ripened ahead of them Its tubers are large, good shape, ha some appearance, and the flavour is of highest order. Judging from an illus tion of it that I have now before mi must admit that it is very taking to eye, and should it fulfil all that credited to it, we ought to find it larj grown in this Colony as our leading ei kidney potato.