WHAT IS A POTATO? 
“Who wants to help get supper ready?” called Mother, 
as Uncle Jack and the children came in from their walk. 
“I do,” said Marylee. 
“How can we help?” asked Buddy. 
“Marylee, you may put the dishes on the table,” re¬ 
plied Mother. “Buddy may get the potatoes ready to 
cook.” 
“I shall help Buddy,” said Uncle Jack. “I am a good 
potato peeler.” 
Buddy ran and brought the potatoes. They sat down 
to peel them. 
“What is a potato, Uncle Jack?” asked Buddy. “Is it 
called a fruit, like a peach or an apple?” 
“No,” he replied. “It is only a branch that grows under 
the ground, instead of growing above the ground as 
most branches do. The branch is small at first. The 
potato plant makes food and stores it in the little branch 
under the ground. The branch grows larger and larger 
as the plant puts more and more food into it. In a few 
weeks, the little branch becomes a big, fat potato.” 
“Why does the plant put food into a branch under 
the ground?” asked Buddy. “Does it do this so that we 
may have potatoes to eat?” 
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