By Joseph Sabine, Esq. 253 



under similar circumstances ; the depth of the divisions of 

 the flowers, and the larger proportional size of the terminal 

 leaf, present striking differences from correspondent parts 

 of the common Potatoe. Very little hairiness is perceptible 

 on the specimen, which, if it had been taken from a plant 

 of S. tuberosum, would probably have been much more hairy, 

 as it usually is when stunted. It is also somewhat s r ngular 

 that Commerson, who could not but know the S. tubero- 

 sum and its various names, should have affixed that of " To- 

 mates" to his specimen ; this makes it almost certain that 

 he did not consider it to be the Potatoe. On these grounds I 

 have ventured to hesitate in concurring in the opinion of Mr. 

 Lambert, that we have sufficient evidence of the growth of 

 the wild Potatoe in the neighbourhood of the Rio de la 

 Plata. It possibly may be found there, but its existence in 

 that part of America is not proved, since it seems tolerably 

 certain that Commerson's plant is not it, and Mr. Lambert 

 does not suppose that the plants seen by his correspondent 

 and friend were different from Commerson's. 



Early in the spring of the present year, Mr. Caldcleugh, 

 who had been some time resident at Rio Janeiro, in the 

 situation of Secretary to the British Minister at that Court, 

 where he had been indefatigable in his exertions to forward 

 the objects of the Horticultural Society, returned to Eng- 

 land, having previously taken a journey across the country, 

 and visited the principal places on the western coasts of South 

 America. Among many articles of curiosity which he brought 

 with him, were two tubers of the Wild Potatoe, which he 

 sent to me with the following letter : 



