CHAP. VI.] the kitchen-garden. 171 
till 1633, when it was at first only cultivated 
in the flower-garden as an ornamental plant, 
and it is treated as such by all the early 
writers on flowers. 
The Potatoe is a native of South America, 
but it was first brought to England by Sir 
Walter Raleigh, from Virginia. It was 
hence called the Potatoe of Virginia; and it 
was at its first introduction thought very 
inferior to the Convolvulus Batatus, which 
was called the Spanish Potatoe, and to the 
Jerusalem Artichoke, which was called the 
Potatoe of Canada, from its having been first 
taken from South America to Canada, before 
it was brought to England. About twenty 
or thirty sorts of the common potatoe are 
now cultivated for the table; but so large a 
quantity is wanted in almost every family, 
that few persons attempt to grow their main 
crop in a garden. A few early potatoes are, 
however, grown frequently; and the best of 
these is decidedly the ash-leaved kidney. 
The soil for potatoes should be a light, fresh, 
unmanured loam, and when manure is ap¬ 
plied, it should be mellow dung, or w^ell- 
rotted leaves. Potatoes are generally planted 
