Potato Culture. 41 



POTATO CULTURE. 



By G. J. BosMAx, B.Sc.Agr., Teclmical Assistant, 

 Department of Agriculture. 



History axd Origin. 



The natural habitat of tlie potato is on the plateaux of Chile and 

 Peru, where the plant is still found growing- wild. It was brought 

 from there by the Spaniards during the sixteenth century, and in- 

 troduced into Europe. Its cultivation as a world's crop, however, 

 did not become general until the latter half of the eighteenth century. 



Importance or Crop and World's Production. 



It is estimated that the potato constitutes about one-fourth of the 

 daily food of European nations. 



It is one of the chief items of food on the bill of fare of the poor 

 as well as the rich. To some extent it is also used as stock-food. In 

 European countries starch, alcohol, glucose, and syrup are manufac- 

 tured from it. Potatoes are also frequently used as an ingredient in 

 bread making. 



Only the eastern natives who subsist mostly on rice do not use it. 

 The potato can rightly be called the " King of all Plants " ; a greater 

 quantity of it is produced than of any other crop, as the following 

 figures taken from The Potato, by Gilbert, will indicate : — 



Table I. 



WorlcV s Production of the most Important Crops : 1908-1912. 



Potatoes 161,000,000 tons. 



Maize 128,380,000 ., 



Wheat 106,000,000 ,, 



Oats 65,600,000 ,, 



Ptice *55,600,000 ,, 



Rye 57,000,000 ., ' ' " 



Barley 33,410,000 „ 



The six leading countries and their average annual production 

 for the years 1911-1913, and their average yields per acre for the years 

 1904 to 1913, are given by Gilbert as follows: — 



Table II. 



, Total Productiou Average Yield 



"""'^''^- in Bags. in Bags per Acre. 



Germany ... 566,275,333 66.9 



European Russia 419,373,444 35.4 



Austria-Hungary 214,049,006 44.8 



France 166,507,888 43.4 



United States of America 116,101,000 32.1 



Great Britain 86,494,000 70. 



* This figure does not represent the rice crop of the world, as statistics from certain 

 parts of China are missing. 



