98 Jgricidlure, [Chap. VIII. 



into general and almost indispensable use among 

 all ranks. It has added another to the list of cheap, 

 .simple and wholesome articles of nutriment, and 

 furnishes an additional barrier against famine, be- 

 yond Avhat our ancestors enjojed. 



It is a curious fact, that this excellent vege- 

 table has been in common use in North Britain 

 but a few years. In France it has been long known; 

 but was, for many years, expressly proscribed, in 

 consequence of its belonging to the genus solanumy 

 a very suspicious family of plants^ The revolution 

 iji that country, however, has brought it into use, 

 and the prejudices against it are gradually yielding 

 \o experience. In many parts of Germany pre- 

 judices still more inveterate against tlie use of the 

 potato prevailed. We are told, indeed, that in 

 some parts of that country, until ^vithin a i^w 

 years, the inhabitants would almost consent 

 to starve rather than eat this pleasant and use- 

 ful vegetable. Count llumford exerted himself 

 to bring it into favour in Bavaria^ and at length 

 succeeded. At the close of the eighteenth century 

 it had come into general use in most of the coun- 

 tries of Europe. 



No less important is Maize or Indian Corn, an- 

 other article, which, as an object of general culture, 

 may be considered as in a great meai>ure peculiar 

 to the century under review. This valuable grain, 

 was httle cultivated, at the begnming of the cen- 

 tury, except in America. Since that time it has 

 not only become au object of more general and 

 uniform attention in the new world, but it has 

 been introduced with success into the Soitth of 

 Europe, and several other temperate climates, where 



