282 APPENDIX BY THE 



B. 



THE POTATO, p. 30. 



It has been clearly ascertained that the potato is indi- 

 genous to South America. Mr. Darwin, in his " Journal 

 of Researches," speaking of the Chonos Archipelago, ou 

 the coast of Chili, writes as follows : 



" The wild potato grows on these islands in great abund- 

 ance, in the sandy, shelly soil, near the sea beach. The 

 tallest plant was four feet in height. The tubers were 

 generally small, but I found one, of an oval shape, two 

 inches in diameter ; they resembled, in every respect, and 

 had the same smell as English potatoes ; but when boiled 

 they shrunk much, and were watery and insipid, without 

 any bitter taste. They were jindoutedly indigenous here : 

 they grow as far south, according to Mr. Low, as lat. 50, 

 and are called Jlquinas by the wild Indians of that part ; 

 the Chilotan Indians have a different name for them. 

 Professor Henslow, who has examined the dried speci- 

 mens which I brought home, says they are the same with 

 those described by Mr. Sabine,* from Valparaiso, but that 

 they form a variety, which by some botanists has been 

 considered specifically distinct. It is remarkable that the 

 same plant should be found on the sterile mountains of 

 central Chili, where a drop of rain does not fall for more 

 than six months, and within the damp forests of these 

 southern islands." Darwin's "Journal of Researches," 

 Vol. II. p. 23, American edition. 



* Mr. Caldcleugh sent home two tubers, which being well manured, even 

 the first season produced numerous potatoes, and an abundance of leaves. 

 Hart. Transaction*, Vol. V. p. 249. See Humboldt's interesting discussion 

 on this plant, which it appears was unknown in Mexico, in Political Essay 

 on AK Spain, book IV. chapter IX. 



