OF THE POTATOE PLANT. 9 



proper to it mentioned in the title, because it hath not only 

 the shape and proportion of potatoes, but also the pleasant 

 taste and virtues of the same : we may call it in English, 

 1 potatoes of America or Virginia.' ' 



(35.) In 1693 Sir Robert Southwell informed the Pel- 

 lows of the Royal Society that his grandfather introduced 

 potatoes into Ireland, and that he first had them from Sir 

 W. Raleigh. He probably, however, only had that state- 

 ment by tradition, and therefore I attribute very little value 

 to the fact, further than to show that about the time of its 

 introduction it was commonly supposed to have come from 

 Virginia. In confirmation of this statement, we must not 

 forget that Sir Walter Raleigh gave the name to Virginia. 



(36.) It is said that the potatoe was also imported into 

 Italy about the same period from South America^ and 

 Clusius mentions that he received it therefrom. In all 

 probability, the Papists, who early had a strong footing in 

 that quarter of the globe, transmitted the root to the Pope. 

 In those times the potatoe was esteemed as a provocative 

 to lust. 



(37.) The potatoe plant, however, does not grow 

 wild in Virginia, nor in any part of North America ; but 

 in its natural state is only to be found on the western side 

 of South America. 



(38.) Hurnboldt states that "the plants which are culti- 

 vated in the highest and coldest part of the Andes and 

 Mexican Cordilleras are the potatoes, the Tropwolum escu- 

 lentum (page 448). 



(39.) Humboldt also states (page 441) that "the pota- 

 toe is not indigenous in Peru, and that it is nowhere to be 

 found wild in the part of the Cordilleras situated under the 

 tropics. M. Bompland and myself herborized in the back 



1* 



