53 
Previous to the discovery of America the potato was not 
known to the Indians of the Mississippi valley. They found, 
however, a good substitute for such a tuberous food in a native 
sunflower, a plant now known as the Jerusalem Artichoke. The 
fleshy underground tubers of this plant are rich in stored food. 
The plant is hardy, perennial and prolific, qualities which made 
it one of the valuable cultivated ae of the Indians. Its 
use spread from the valleys of the Ohio and aaa where it 
was native, to Canada and the Atlantic coast. 
ommon sunflower, Helianthus annuus, is an American 
Ao growing wild over a considerable area of the prairies and 
plain regions of the West. It was commonly cultivated by 
Indians from Canada to Mexico, both east and west of the 
Mississippi River. It was grown solely for its seeds, which are 
produced in large numbers. 
The ground nut, Apios A oe is a wild plant over a consider- 
able part of eastern United § ates. Underground stems possess 
at intervals round edible nee sometimes as large as a hen’s 
egg. When cooked they are wholesome and nutritious. Several 
Indian tribes cultivated this plant both for its tubers and for the 
seeds which are quite like that of our garden pea. Asa Gray 
once said that if civilization had developed in eastern United 
States the ground nut would have been the first developed tuber. 
However, experiments to improve the tuber by cultivation have 
failed to increase the size or number of the tubers 
The Indians living in the high altitudes of Peru and Chili 
found it necessary to grow some crop that was adapted to poor 
mountain soil and the short growing season of the high altitudes. 
Corn, of course, would not do well, and they were without any 
of the quick-growing cereals which we have today. They de- 
veloped as their staple food the plant known as Chenopodium 
inoa. This is a rank, quick-growing weed that does well in 
very poor soil. The seeds were boiled in water as we do rice or 
atmeal, makin utritious gruel, or they were roasted and 
then boiled oa pecan somewhat as we prepare coffee. h 
value of this plant to the Peruvians was noted by the early 
explorers and it was introduced into Europe. The seeds are not 
