190 On the Potato as National Diet, 



variety which, by some botanists, has been considered as 

 specifically distinct. It is remarkable that the same plant 

 should be found on the sterile mountains of central Chile, 

 "where a drop of rain does not fall for more than six months, 

 and within the damp forests of those southern islands." 



The localities in which Statice, Armeria and some other 

 plants are found are apparently as dissimilar ; and the 

 distribution we may suppose to be dependent upon physical 

 condition — it may be of moisture — of the atmosphere, and 

 of the soil around, closely approximating to identity in 

 such cases. 



The first American settlers, sent out by Sir Walter 

 Kaleigh in 1 584, found the potato in Virginia ; and probably 

 carried it to England with them on their return in 

 1586 with Sir Francis Drake. Mr. Thomas Harriot, 

 who in 1579 took the degree of B. A. at St. Mary's 

 Hall, Oxford, and was mathematical tutor to Sir Walter 

 Raleigh, accompanied Sir R. Grenville to Virginia in 1585 ; 

 in his " brief and true Report of the new found land of 

 Virginia, of the commodities there found and to be reared, 

 &c.," published in 1588, mentioned the potato under the 

 Indian name Openaiok, as having the roots round, and 

 " hanging together as if fixed on ropes," and as " good for 

 food, either boiled or roasted." 



Gerarde grew the potato in his garden at Holborn in 

 1590, and published his herbal in 1597, giving a figure and 

 description of the plant, recommending it as a conserve to be 

 eaten " sopped in wine."* 



* Gerarde, in his "Second Booke of the Historie of Plants," chap. 334, 

 and pages 780 and 781, says of the sweet potato, or as he terms it " Battata 

 Hispanorum" — " Tliese rooies may serve as a ground or foundation whereon 

 the cunning confectioner or sugar baker may worke and frame many com- 

 fortable and delicate conserves and restorative sweetmeats. 



" They are used to be eaten rosted in the ashes; some, when they be so 

 rosted infuse them, and sop them in wine: and others, to give them the greater 

 grace in eating, do boile them with prunes and so eate them; and likewise 



