5 1 6 The Kjtcben (jar den. 
Ch ap.XLIX. 
P aft as fine Bait at as. Potatoes. 
T Hree forts of Potatoes are well knownc vnto vs, but the fourth I reft doubtfull 
of,anddarenotaffirmeitvpon fuch termes as are giucnvntoit, vntill I may 
be better in formed by mineownefight. 
TheSpanifli kinde hath (in the Iflands where they growe, either naturally, of plan- 
ted for increafe, profit, and vfeof the Spaniards that nourfe them) many firme and ve- 
rie fweetc rootes, like in drape and forme vnto Afphodill rootes, but much greater 
andlonger, of a pale browne on theourfide, and white within, fet together at one 
head ; from whence rife vp many long branches , which by reafon of their weight 
and weaknefle, cannot (land of therufelues, but traile on the ground a yard and a 
halfe in length at the leaft (lrclateit, as it Hath growne with vs, but in what other 
forme, for flower or fruit, we know not) whereon arc fetat feueralldiftances, broad 
and in a manner three fquarelcaues, fomewhat like trianglcd Iuieleaues, ofadarkc 
greene colour, thetwo fidcs whereof are broad and round, and themiddle pointed at 
the end ; (landing reafonable dole together : thus much we haue feenc growe with vs 
and no more : the roote rather decaying then increafing in our country. 
The Potatoes ofVirginia, which fome foolifhly call the Applesof youth, isano- 
therkindeofplant,ditFeringmuihfromtheformer, fauingin thecolour andtafteof 
the roote, hauing many wcake and fomewhat flexible branches, leaning a little down- 
wards, or eafily borne downe with the winde or other thing, befet with many winded 
leaues, of a darkegrayilh greene colour, whereof diuers arc fmaller , and fomegreater 
then others : the flowers growe many together vpon along ftalke, comming forth 
from betweene the leaues and th^ great ftalkes, eucry one fcuerally vpon a fhortfoot- 
flalke, fomewhat like the flower ofTabaccofor the forme, being one whole leafe fix 
cornered atthebrimmesjbutfomewhat larger, and of a pale blewifli purple colour, 
or pale done colour, and in fome almoft white, with fome red threads in themiddle 
(landing about a thickc gold yellow pointell, tipped with greene at the end : after the 
flowersare pad, there come vp inrheir places fmall round fruit, as bigge as a Damfon 
orBiilleis, greene at thefirft, and fomewhat whitilh afterwards, with many white 
feedcs therein, 1 ike vntoNightfliade: the rootes are rounder and much fmaller then 
the former, and fome much greater then others, difperfed vnder ground by mariy 
fmall threads or firings from the rootes, of the fame light browne colour on the out- 
fide, and white within , as they, andnearcof the fame tafte, but not altogether fo 
pleafant. 
The Potatos of Canada, ("which hath diuefs names giuen it by diners men, as Bau- 
hinus Vpon Matthiolus calleth it^Stlanum t aber if umefculeKtumf cWexeiius of Middlc- 
borough in his Plantarim Synonimia, Heliotrtp'tum Inditum tuber efum , Fabius Columna 
in the fecond part of his Phjtobafanos, Fits Stlis Farntfiamu, fine filter Peruanus tube - 
rofus : We in England, from fome ignorant and idle head,haue called them Artichokes 
of Ietufalcm, only becaufe the roote, being boy led 1 , is in tafte like the boctome of an 
Artichoke head : butthey may moffi fitly becallrd,Potatos of Canada, becaufe their 
rootes are in forme, colour and tafte, like vnto the Potato* of Virginia, but greater, 
and the French brought them firft from Canada into thefe parts) rifeth vp with diuers 
ftifftr, round ftalkes, eight or tenne foote high in our Country, where they haue fcarce 
(hewed their flowers, whereas the very head of flowers in other Countries, as Fabius 
Columna exprefleth it, beingof a Pyramis or Sugar loafefafhion, broade fpreading 
below, and fmaller pointed vpwards towards the toppe, is neere of the fame length, 
whereon are fet large and broade rough greene leaues, very like vnto the leaues of the 
flower of the Sunnc, but fmaller, yet growing in the very fame manner, roundabout 
thcftalkes : at the very later end of Summer, or the beginning of Autumne, if the 
roote bee well planted and defended, it will giue a (hew of a few fmall yellow flowers 
atthetop, like vnto the flowers of After or Starrc-worre, and much fmallerthen any 
flower of the Sunnc, which come to no pcrfc&io n with vs : the route, while the plant 
is 
