264 On the Native Country of the Wild Potato, 8fc. 



been applied in considerable quantity, so as to form a ridge, the 

 sides of which were full two feet high; and about the month of 

 August, runners from the roots and joints of the covered stems 

 protruded themselves towards the surface of the ridge in great 

 numbers, and when they reached the light, formed considerable 

 stems, bearing leaves and blossoms, so that at length the two 

 plants became one mass of many apparently different plants 

 issuing from all sides of the ridge. The appearance of these 

 runners in such quantities induced a doubt as to the identity of 

 the plant with our common potato, which doubt was increased 

 when it was ascertained, that so late as the month of August no 

 tubers had been formed by the roots. The runners were, how- 

 ever, no otherwise different from what are formed by the cul- 

 tivated potato under ground, except that they were more 

 vigorous, as well as more numerous. 



The plants have recently been taken up, and all doubt re- 

 specting them is now removed ; they are unquestionably the 

 Solanum tuberosum. The principal stems, when extended, 

 measured more than seven feet in length ; the produce was most 

 abundant, above six hundred tubers were gathered from the two 

 plants ; they are of various sizes, a few as large or larger than 

 a pigeon's egg, others as small as the original ones, rather 

 angular, but more globular than oblong ; some are white, others 

 marked with blotches of pale red or white. The flavour of them 

 when boiled was exactly that of a young potato. 



The compost used in moulding up the plants was very much 

 saturated with manure, and to this circumstance I attribute the 

 excessive luxuriance of the growth of the stems ; had common 

 garden mould been applied, they would not probably have 

 grown so strong, and I suppose that whilst the plants were 

 thus rapidly making stems and leaves, the formation of the 

 tubers was delayed, for the production of these has been the 

 work of the latter part of the season ; they cannot be called 

 fully ripe, nor have they attained the size which they probably 

 might have done if they had been formed earlier. 



They will, however, answer perfectly for the purpose of re- 

 producliou (or for seed, as it is technically called), and they are 



