104. FIELD, FOREST AND FARM 



potatoes to their tenant farmers with orders to plant 

 and cultivate them." 



"Behold the potato fairly started on the right 

 road!" interposed Jules. "It cannot fail to become 

 popular now, under the protection of king and 

 court." 



"Not so fast, my little friend. Persuasion is a 

 good deal better than command. The tubers pat- 

 ronized by royalty were thrown on the dunghill. At 

 most, here and there a farmer, afraid of being repri- 

 manded, allowed them to grow as best they could 

 in some neglected corner." 



"And then?" 



"Then the only thing to do was to convince, not 

 the nobleman who cared nothing for the potato ex- 

 cept as a means for winning the king's favor, but 

 the peasant himself directly interested in this af- 

 fair. It was necessary to overcome his repugnance, 

 a repugnance that made him reject the potato even 

 as fodder for cattle ; he must be taught by his own 

 experience that the tuber of ill repute, far from be- 

 ing a poison, is excellent food. All this Parmentier 

 thoroughly understood and he set to work without 

 delay. ' ' 



"This time he is sure to succeed." 



"Not at first and not without great pains. In 

 the suburbs of Paris he bought or rented for farm- 

 ing large tracts of land which he caused to be planted 

 with potatoes. The first year the harvest was sold 

 at a very low price. A few people bought some." 



' ' Now we are nearing the goal. ' ' 



