HISTORY OF THE POTATO. 315 



land, and we are confident is destined to become the second 

 crop in value in the Eastern States. 



The potato, greatly as we value it, was very slow in making 

 its debut into good society, and its history is at once interesting 

 and instructive. It was first brought to Europe in the middle 

 of the sixteenth century by the Spaniards, under tlie name of 

 papas; but made very little favor on its first introduction, and 

 was considered as fit only for cattle. This may not be so strange 

 when we consider that the Spaniards esteemed lightly for table 

 use all vegetables, garlic and onions excepted. Sir Walter 

 Raleigh carried potatoes to England in the latter part of the 

 sixteenth century, but he little thought he was carrying the 

 greatest contribution in the vegetable line America ever made 

 to the Old World, corn alone excepted. Some may perhaps 

 except tobacco also, but we make no such exception. Sir 

 Walter planted them on his own estate near Cork, and thus 

 unwittingly laid the foundation of Ireland's salvation from 

 famine. They were soon carried over to England, but it was 

 near half a century before they were much known at London. 

 They were first raised in botanic gardens as an exotic curiosity, 

 and when first used on the table were roasted and steeped in 

 sack and sugar, or baked with marrow and spices, and even 

 preserved and candied by the confectioners. In 1663 the Royal 

 Society took some measures to encourage the raising of potatoes, 

 with a view of making them an article of general diet and pre- 

 venting famhie ; but they met with little success. The reputa- 

 tion of the potato was certainly " a plant of slow growth." In 

 books of gardening published towards the close of the seven- 

 teenth century, a hundred years after the introduction of pota- 

 toes into England, they are spoken of slightingly. One author 

 says, " They are much used in Ireland and America as bread, 

 and may be propagated with advantage to poor people." Another 

 says, " I do not hear that it hath yet been essayed whether they 

 may not be propagated in great quantities as food for swine." 

 Evelyn, writing in 1699 says, " Plant potatoes in your worst 

 ground. Take them up in November for winter spending; 

 there will enough remain for restocking the ground, though 

 ever so exactly gathered." They seem to have been esteemed 

 at the close of the seventeenth century very much as we esteem 

 artichokes. In the " Complete Gardener," published in 1719 



