254 On the Native Country of the Wild Potatoe, $c. 



Montague Place, Portman Square, 

 My DEAR Sir, February 24th, 1822. 



It is with no small degree of pleasure that I am enabled to 

 send you some specimens of the Solanum tuberosum or 

 Native Wild Potatoe of South America. 



It is found growing in considerable quantities in ravines in 

 the immediate neighbourhood of Valparaiso, on the western 

 side of South America, in lat. 34 \ S. The leaves and flowers 

 of the plant are similar in every respect to those cultivated 

 in England, and elsewhere. It begins to flower in the month 

 of October, the spring of that climate, and is not very prolific. 

 The roots are small and of a bitterish taste, some with red and 

 others with yellowish skins. I am inclined to think that this 

 plant grows on a large extent of the coast, for in the south 

 of Chili it is found, and called by the natives Maglia, but I 

 cannot discover that it is employed to any purpose. 



I am indebted for these specimens to an officer of His Ma- 

 jesty's ship Owen Glendower, who left the country some time 

 after me. 



I am, my dear Sir, 



ever sincerely your's, 



Alexander Caldcleugh. 



The two tubers were exhibited to the Society, and a draw- 

 ing made of them before they were planted (see Plate IX. 

 fig. 2.) Had there been a third I should have been tempted 

 to have satisfied myself as to the real flavour which Mr. 

 Caldcleugh, as well as Molina, describes as bitter. They 

 were planted separately in small pots, and speedily vegetated ; 

 they grew rapidly, and were subsequently turned out into a 



