1 6 The Kitchen Garden, 



CHAP. XL IX. 

 Pappus fiue Battatas. Potatoes. 



THree forts of Potatoes are well knowne vnto vs, but the fourth I reft doubtfull 

 of, and dare not affirme it vpon fuch termes as are giuen vnto it, vntill I may 

 be better informed by mine owne fight. 



The Spanifh kinde hath (in the Iflands where they growe, either naturally, or plan- 

 ted for increafe, profit, and vf e of the Spaniards that nourfe them) many firme and ve- 

 rie fweete rootes, like in fhape and forme vnto Afphodill rootes, but much greater 

 and longer, of a pale browne on the outfide, and white within, fet together at one 

 head; from whence rife vp many long branches, which by reafon of their weight 

 and weaknefle, cannot ftand of themfelues, but traile on the ground a yard and a 

 halfe in length at the leaft (I relate it, as it hath growne with vs, but in what other 

 forme, for flower or fruit, we know not) whereon are fet at feuerall diftances, broad 

 and in a manner three fquare leaues, fomewhat like triangled luie leaues, of a darke 

 greene colour, the two fides whereof are broad and round, and the middle pointed at 

 the end, ftanding reafonable clofe together : thus much we haue feene growe with vs, 

 and no more : the roote rather decaying then increafing in our country. 



The Potatoes of Virginia, which fome foolifhly call the Apples of youth, is ano- 

 ther kinde of plant, differing much from the former, fauing in the colour and tafte of 

 the roote, hauing many weake and fomewhat flexible branches, leaning a little down- 

 wards, or eafily borne downe with the winde or other thing, befet with many winged 

 leaues, of a darke grayifh greene colour, whereof diuers are fmaller, and fome greater 

 then others: the flowers growe many together vpon a long ftalke, comming forth 

 from betweene the leaues and the great ftalkes, euery one feuerally vpon a fhort foot- 

 ftalke, fomewhat like the flower of Tabacco for the forme, being one whole leafe fix 

 cornered at the brimmes, but fomewhat larger, and of a pale blewifh purple colour, 

 or pale doue colour, and fome almoft white, with fome red threads in the middle, 

 ftanding about a thicke gold yellow pointell, tipped with greene at the end : after the 

 flowers are paft, there come vp in their places fmall round fruit, as bigge as a Damfon 

 or Bulleis, greene at the firft, and fomewhat whitifh afterwards, with many white 

 feedes therein, like vnto Nightmade : the rootes are rounder and much fmaller then 

 the former, and fome much greater then others, difperfed vnder ground by many 

 fmall threads or ftrings from the rootes, of the fame light browne colour on the out- 

 fide, and white within, as they, and neare of the fame tafte, but not altogether fo 

 pleafant. 



The Potatos of Canada, (which hath diuers names giuen it by diuers men, as Bau 

 hinus vpon Matthiolus calleth it, Solanum tuberofum efculentum^ Pelleterius of Middle- 

 borough in his Plantarum Synonimia, Heliotropium Indicum tuberofum^ Fabius Columna 

 in the fecond part of his Phytobafattos, Flos Solis Farnejianus, fiue After Peruanus tube- 

 rofus : We in England, from fome ignorant and idle head, haue called them Artichokes 

 of lerufalem, only becaufe the roote, being boyled, is in tafte like the bottome of an 

 Artichoke head : but they may moft fitly be called, Potatos of Canada, becaufe their 

 rootes are in forme, colour and tafte, like vnto the Potatos of Virginia, but greater, 

 and the French brought them firft from Canada into thefe parts) rifeth vp with diuers 

 ftiffe, round ftalkes, eight or tenne foote high in our Country, where they haue fcarce 

 fhewed their flowers, whereas the very head of flowers in other Countries, as Fabius 

 Columna exprefleth it, being of a Pyramis or Sugar loate fafhion, broade fpreading 

 below, and fmaller pointed vpwards towards the toppe, is neere of the fame length, 

 whereon are fet large and broade rough greene leaues, very like vnto the leaues of the 

 flower of the Sunne, but fmaller, yet growing in the very fame manner, round about 

 the ftalkes : at the very later end of Summer, or the beginning of Autumne, if the 

 roote bee well planted and defended, it will giue a fhew of a few fmall yellow flowers 

 at the top, like vnto the flowers of After or Starre-worte, and much fmaller then any 

 flower of the Sunne, which come to no perfedtion with vs : the roote, while the plant 



is 



