[8] 



II. An Attempt to ascertain the Time when the Potatoe (Sola- 

 rium tuberosum) was first introduced into the United King- 

 dom ; with some Account of the Hill Wheat of India. By the 

 Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K. B. P. 11. S. $c. 



Read May 7, 1805. 



Th e s e notes on the introduction of the Potatoe, which it is 

 hoped will not be found uninteresting to the Society, were 

 chiefly collected by my worthy and learned friend Mr. 

 Dryander, some of them from authorities not easily acces- 

 sible. Those on the Wheat, though not within the immediate 

 object of this Society, will I hope, be considered as suftV 

 ciently interesting to be laid before them ; could we trace 

 the origin of any one of our cultivated plants, it may, and 

 probably will, lead to the discovery of others. 



The Potatoe now in use (Solanum tuberosum) was brought 

 to England by the colonists sent out by Sir Walter Ra- 

 leigh, under the authority of his patent, granted by Queen 

 Elizabeth, " for discovering and planting new countries, 

 not possessed by Christians," which passed the great seal in 

 1584. Some of Sir Walter's ships sailed in the same year; 

 others, (on board one of which was Thomas Herriot, after- 

 wards known as a mathematician,) in 1585 ; the whole how- 

 ever returned on the 27th of July, 1586, and probably brought 

 with them the Potatoe. 



This Mr. Thomas Herriot, who was probably sent out 

 to examine the country, and report to his employers the 



