ROOTS. 1G7 



CHAPTER IX. 



ROOTS. 



THE POTATO, (Solanum tuberosum). 



THE potato is a native of the American Continent. It ig 

 found in a wild state both in Buenos Ayres and Chili, .and 

 was probably discovered in the same condition by the early 

 settlers of North America. It was supposed to have been 

 taken into Spain and Italy, early in the 16th century, by 

 Spanish adventurers, as it was cultivated in those countries 

 in 1550. In 1588, it was introduced into Vienna from Italy ; 

 and also into England, probably as early as 1586, by the 

 colonists of Virginia, who were sent out by Sir Walter Ra- 

 leigh. On its first introduction into Europe, it was con- 

 sidered a delicacy ; and it is not until within a comparatively 

 recent period, that it has found its way into both conti- 

 nents as an article of agricultural attention, and an almost 

 indispensable food for man and beast. 



Varieties. These are almost illimitable. In form they 

 are round, oblong, flat and curved or kidney-shaped ; they 

 vary in size from the delicate lady-finger to the gigantic 

 blue-nose ; their exterior is rough or polished, and of nearly 

 every hue, white, yellow, red, and almost black ; and the 

 surface is sometimes smooth and even, with the eye scarcely 

 discernible ; or deeply indented with innumerable sunken 

 eyes, like the Rohan and Merino. The interior is equally 

 diversified in color ; and is mealy, glutinous or watery ; 

 sometimes pleasant and sometimes disagreeable to the taste. 

 They likewise differ in ripening earlier or later, and in being 

 adapted in some of their varieties to almost every peculiarity 

 of soil. 



New kinds are produced at pleasure, by planting the 

 seed found in the balls. The tubers obtained in this way, 

 are small the first season, but with careful culture, will be 

 large enough the second year to determine their quality, 

 when the best may be selected for propagation. The earliest 

 are easily designated by the premature decay of the tops. 



The varieties may also be increased from the seed by 



