HISTORY OF THE POTATO 105 



"Not yet. Good is not accomplished so easily. 

 The second year the potatoes were given away for 

 nothing. Nobody wanted them. " 



"And Parmentier was left with the whole crop on 

 his hands?" 



"The excellent man could not find a welcome for 

 a single basket of potatoes. In the country they 

 laughed maliciously at his obstinacy in cultivating 

 a vile root that no peasant would even feed to his 

 pigs. But Parmentier did not despair. A singular 

 idea came to him: to see whether the charm of for- 

 bidden fruit would not accomplish what he had failed 

 to effect by his writings, his advice, his personal 

 example, and his generous offers. 



"A large field was planted with potatoes, and when 

 the crop was ripe a fence was built about the field 

 as if to protect a most valuable harvest. And more 

 than this, Parmentier caused it to be trumpeted 

 abroad throughout the neighboring villages that it 

 was expressly forbidden to touch the potatoes under 

 penalty of all the rigors of the law against maraud- 

 ers. During the day the guards kept strict watch 

 over the field, and woe betide whoever should try 

 to climb over the fence!" 



"It seems to me," said Emile, "that with all those 

 prohibitions and guards and fences Parmentier was 

 more likely than ever to have all his potatoes to him- 

 self." 



"Such was not his purpose; far from it. The 

 guards kept good watch during the day, but they had 

 orders to stay at home at night and leave unmolested 



