the Potato Disease, dc. 191 



But some years before the introduction of the present 

 root into England, another bearing a resemblance to it had 

 been brought into the gardens — the Convolvulus Battata — 

 {Battatas edulis) or sweet potato as we now call it, an in- 

 habitant of a warmer climate, and very inferior in farinaceous 

 matter. Spain received this from her Colonies on the 

 eastern shores of Central America 40 years before the 

 former, which belonged to the western side, and was called 

 by the Spaniards Batata : its resemblance to the Bolanum 

 tuherosum led doubtless to the employment of our word 

 potato as a name for both. 



The sweet potato is the potato of Shakspeare, who, in 

 his Merry Wives of Windsor, makes Talstaff call upon 

 " the sky to rain potatoes," as a provocative to love ; and in 

 Troilus and Cressida there is a similar allusion to its virtues. 

 In a cookery book of 1596, "the Good Huswife's Jewel," 

 there is tliis recipe — " Take 2 quinces, 2 or three burr 

 roots, and a potato, put them in a quart of wine, and let 

 them boil till they be tender, draw them through a strainer, 

 and put the yolks of 8 eggs, and the brains of 3 or 4 cock 

 sparrows, and then you have a tarte that is courage to a man," 

 &c., all which applies to the sweet potato. 



America has contributed to the common stock of comforts 



others dress them (being first rosted) with oile, vineger and salt, every man 

 according to his own taste and liking; notwithstanding however they be 

 dressed, they strengthen, nourish, and comfort the bodie, &c." 



Of our potato, which he terms '♦ Battata Virginiana, and Pappus," he says 

 at pages 781 and 782: — " The roote is thicke, fat, and tuberous; not much 

 " differing either in shape, colour or taste from the common potatoes, saving 

 •' that the rootes hereof are not so great nor long; some of them round as a 

 "ball, some ovall or egge fashion, some longer and others shorter : which 

 " knobbie rootes are fastened unto the staikes with an infinite number of 

 " threddie strings." 



He adds — " The temperature and vertues are referred unto the common 

 "potatoes; being likewise a foode as also a meate for pleasure equall in 

 " goodnesse and wholesomenesse unto the same, being either rosted in the 

 " embers or boiled and eaten with oile, vineger and pepper, or dressed any 

 " other way by the hand of some cunning in cookeiie." 



