THE POTATO FAMILY, 



191 



carrying numerous ovules ; (3) is a cluster of berries ; 

 (4) and (5) are seeds, (5) a seed cut vertically, showing 

 the coiled cotyledons of the embryo included within 

 the endosperm. 



The edible potato was introduced by Sir Walter 

 Ealeigh into Europe in the sixteenth century. It is 



Fig. I'.—Sola'num. (For description, see text.) 



known as >S^. tiiberdsum, or perhaps B. Mag'lia is the 

 original species. It is unfortunately liable to be attacked 

 by a parasitic fungus, which sometimes will ruin whole 

 crops. A great deal of the starch, however, can be 

 saved, for the starch is easily extracted by grating the 

 tuber and washing the pulp in cold water through a 

 sieve. It is often made into an imitation of sago. 



