October i| 1891,] 
THE TROPICAL AQRIOULTURI8T. 
339 
It may be questioned whether the introduction 
of the potato into Ireland has been an unmi.xed 
bleisinq to the Irish people, but there can be 
no rjueation as to its popularity among them. 
Ihe " Irish potato," however, is really the Amorioan 
potato. When America was discovered, the aolnmm 
tuhfroaum was under oultivation in South America 
from Chile to New Granada. The Virginia potato 
came from Peru or Chile. In 1583 0 Thomas 
Herriott, a companion of Sir Walli-r RUoigh, 
carried tho potato from Virginia to Ireland. It was 
introduced into Europe by the Spaniards in 13S5. 
The sweet potato, now such an important pro- 
duction in Japan and China, ie supposed to have 
originated in South Ametioa. In the year 1610 
the batata, by which name it is known to tho 
Malays and Portuguese, reached China from Luzon. 
From here it was introduced into the Liukiu* 
Islands, and thence, in 106S, the King of those 
islands sent a basket full to tho Daimio of 
Satsuma. who caused them to be planted on 
Tanega-shiina. Thus the culture was established 
in Japan, where the familiar name Sattuma imo 
recalls the place of its introduction. 
Tho history of the many varieties of beans grown 
In tho Fat Bast is scarcely known. 'I’hs common 
haricot bean, now found almost everywhere, the 
lima bean, and the Bug.tr bean, are all of Anietioan 
origin. The haricot be.an is of very ancient growth. 
It was used by the Poruviiins in prohi.-torie times. 
Speoimoin have been found preaetvod in their 
Bucienl graves. More recently I>r. Wittmarok, of 
Berlin, identified this bean among some specimens 
obtained from prehistoric tombs in Alaska, aped- 
mens wbioU tho writer of these lines saw in 
Dr. Witlmarek's hands, while the investigation 
was in progress. 
Indian oorn is another product for which the 
old world is indebted to the new. The oldest 
specimen of corn known was diaoovored by Darwin, 
in the soil of tbs Peruvitn coast, at an elevation 
of 83 feet above the level of the sea. How old 
that is may bo a maitrr of mors speoulation. 
It was preserved in ths dry soil (or ages. 
The tomato is also a native of Peru. 
Tapioca is obtained from the starchy manioc 
shrub, indigenous to Brazil an.l the West In.lies. 
The flour, known as cassava meal, had long bton 
in use before the coming of the Spanish and 
Portuguese. The true West Indian arrowroot had 
also been long under cultivation in tropical .'Vmeriea 
at that time. Tho squash and pumpkin nlao 
appear to ho strictly American productions. 
Ths ooooa tree which furnishes ooooa and 
chocolate was highly prized by the n.ativet when 
America was discovered. It woa under most ■ arotnl 
cultivation, and already n.aturatised in Omitral 
America and Yucatan. It wi’s pro’ ably in'ro.lucod 
from New (Iranada. The Spaniards found the 
custom of drinking okonolato ipiite general in 
those countries. When tho s e.is vtr.) sent to 
the Mexican highlands, toe people v.tlue.l them 
so greatly that they used them as money. The 
Ooooa and clioeolato production of Ci-ntral Amoaja 
and Mexico is now of .,'r,'at oominoroial importance, 
tho sweet ouciin butter, .si highly prize I in phar 
m.noy because it never bjcom n rauei'i, i obtained 
tr im the seeds, b ung p.tr ly rom iv .d i.i tho 
pr.p.araticn of cocoa. 
Ouo might extend this list of food products to 
incUide many others, principally pro.uclious of 
tropical regions, which ..r. n it ;o oomni.inly known, 
Thora are nuinetoiu nuts and fruila which are 
delioiouj, either fresh or pteatrv.'d The gimva 
•8 one of these ; but there are more imiioriant 
products to ho montioiied. f.'olVoo is not dis- 
tinctively an -Viuericau product, hut two-thirda of 
the world’s supply comes from South and Central 
America and the West Indies. 
Caoutchouc or Indiarubber was first discovered 
in South America. Some specimens were taken 
to Europe about the beginning of the 18th century, 
when its valuable qualities were soon recognised, 
but for a long time the snoret of its origin was 
not revealed. South America still furnishes one. 
half the world’s supply, tho greater part of the 
remaining halt coming fr-im .Java. 
The coca or ouoa of Peru is a most valuable 
tonio, known and used very largely in Europe and 
America, It is said that the natives chew the ouca 
leaves to give them strength and enduranos. They 
can then perform long journeys without food orrest. 
The baoEflts derived by the world from tho 
alkaloids of cinchona or Peruvian bark, can 
scarcely be ovoreatimattd. What would we do with- 
out qumine ? We buy it in quart r-ounoe bottles 
but it is manufactured by the ton 1 The cinchona 
bark was first brought from South America in IfiHt). 
America has been a large oontributor to the 
commerce of tho world in other productions not 
peciilisrly her own. There are immense forests 
which yield an inexhaustible supply of valuable 
timber, there arc cochineal and other dyes, vanilla 
beans, and innumerable bananas, pineapples, oranges, 
and other fruits, Tho fin^ long staple cotton of 
the Baa IMande, which fringe tho coasts cf 
Oarolina and Georgia, is produced nowhere else 
in equal, perfoolion. The first halo of that cotlon was 
shipped (o Englan l tr.im S'. Simon's I. -land in 1788. 
The resoufOOB of Souih amt Tropical Amarica 
in textile fibres arc by no moans developed. Pita 
and hon.ijuan are produced in Mexico, sinil in 
Yucatan, atid nobody can tell what importauco 
these, and other fibrous produela from the great 
v.iriety of agaves— a typo of whiuh is ths oommon 
century plant— may soon a tiin. The West Indies 
furnish enormous quantities of textile fibres — 
more than can be at present untilisod. South 
Amerioa is rich in poari lilitina of the saino kind. 
Boms of its palm fibres are of great strength and 
value; as those from the limura for example, of 
winch the iiativea of B thia malts their fish-nets. 
The streets o( L mdon are daily swept w.th brooms 
of tho piassaba palm, a product of Braz 1. 
’Sjius we see hew the discovery of America has 
led to results of worldwide imp'ortartce. Not only 
has it increased and olieapened the ford supply 
of tho world, and .nJduJ to our rosourocs in many 
ways, but, by opening new territory for settli merit 
it has also relieved the countries of Europe from 
ths perils of over-population. The ineveasing 
Rtruggles of a doss and growing i opulace for 
the i.ace saries of life, ineviiably lead to grave 
social dilh’.'ulties; finally to wars and revolutions.. 
Is n too much to say that emigration has preserved 
Europe ns it is? 
It is tleroforo appropriate lint the American 
people ih..uli coIi,U:ai.e the great difoovery of 
(dolumbiis, in IS'JS, and that they should invilo 
all nations to panicipata in an inteiniUio.ia! -x- 
poHi'ion of arts and imlnstrics, which shall r inn. 
sent the highest ideals of ( or oivilisation, and the 
course of their deVvE, men,.— A'.-C. //(•raid. 
lumriUL liTUEE 
ji.vix I'iraj.'ii'i'; 
fiAUDENl.VG 
, , Haputale. 
(lardemiig is steadily and surely progressing. The 
liorticulturo of tho present is no more I’ike the horti 
culture of tlio past, than tho Post Office service of 
our own day, or means of communication or locomo- 
tion generally, are tike to what either of them was 
thirty years ago. There is a general activity per- 
vn-ling the immense hive Of human industry. 
