56 LEAVES FROM THE BOOK OF NATURE. 



a Chinese by birth, was brought to Europe first by bold 

 Portuguese sailors. 



In Europe, these fruits lingered a while, were remodelled 

 from their first rough shape, developed and refined, and 

 then sent, ennobled in shape and quality, across the broad 

 Atlantic. Here they have rapidly spread from State to 

 State, and are even now on their way, through California, 

 back to their original home. The day may not be far 

 distant, when the youthful Union, which has already given 

 grain back to starving Ireland, and loads the tables of 

 the English with the finest apples the world knows, may 

 send its grapes and unsurpassed nectarines to ancient 

 Persia, from whence Europe received the hard, unflavored 

 peach. Strange it is, that as Europe has never returned 

 any similar gifts for the many presents it has received 

 from the East, so America also has given to Europe 

 nothing in return for her many kindnesses. For the 

 whole rich blessing of our grain harvest, for the whole- 

 some rice, the profitable cotton, for sugar and spice, 

 oranges and pomegranates, all of which we owe to the 

 Old World, we have sent back but two rather equivocal 

 gifts. For smokers alone will be disposed to think the 

 introduction of tobacco a real, valuable present. A plant 

 which affords no edible root, fruit, or other nutritious part, 

 distinguished neither by beauty nor by sweet odor ; but, 

 on the contrary, by a disagreeable smell and taste ; which 

 produces, when eaten, nausea, vomiting, and giddiness, and 

 is, in large quantities or concentrated, even deadly poison 

 such a plant is surely at least a doubtful gift. So it is 

 with the potato, which has long been considered by its 



