Translations from Forein^n Periodicals. 



By Henrt Meigs> Recording Secretary of the American Institute, 



ARRACACHA. 



This plant belongs to the umbelliferous family, and from its par^ 

 tial resemblance to celery, the Spaniards of South America have 

 called it apio. It is probably originally from the Andes of New Gre- 

 nada, where it is much cultivated. From the temperate levels of 

 Cundinamarca, its culture has been extended beyond the equator, 

 being now established in the Andes of Popayan and Los Pastos. At 

 about the same period, the potato left the cool regions of Chili, 

 and being propogated from south to north, following the Incas in 

 their conquests, fixed at Quito in Peru, before it penetrated New- 

 Grenada, 



And it is a curious fact in the history of the food of man, to see 

 in South America, maize (Indian corn) cultivated by small numbers 

 of people at first, and also other important articles of human food; 

 afterwards attain so advanced a civilization. Thus the arracacha cul- 

 tivated by the Muyscasj the potato, propagated by the Incas; cocoa, 

 by the Mexicans. 



Behold now the the maize (Indian corn), the potato and the cocoa 

 forming the basis of the nourishment of America and Europe. [Co^ 

 coa is almost indispensable to Spain.] The arracacha has not yet en- 

 tered into our culture. 



Monsieur Goudot had observed its cultivation during twenty years 

 he resided in New Grenada. The arracacha is planted by cuttings 

 of the root, each having a part of the sprouts. The roots must be 

 dug up just before the flowering season, and they are of an irregu- 

 lar figure, weighing from 5 to 7| pounds each. The weight of a 

 good crop, at Ibague, was about twenty tons per acre. It is not 

 quite so nutritious as the potato, for although in equal weight, it 

 contains the same proportion of starch and albumen as the potato, 

 yet it has more humidity. 



