TREASURE OF PERU.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1973, 6 May 1919, Page 4

TREASURE OF PERU.

The gold of the indies was the attraction that led Columbus to sail westward, that carried Cortez to Mexico and Pizarro to Peru. The Incas had large stores of the precious metal, representing, no doubt, the accumulations of many centuries. The capture of such a booty resounded through Europe. Spain became for a time the wealthiest, as well as the most powerful, nation of Europe, ami this was ascribed to the gold of Peru. The National Geographic Magazine, however, points out that f’eru bold another treasure much more valuable for the nations of Europe than the gulden booty of Pizarro. Carrying the potato to Europe was an event of much more profound significance in relation to the .subsequent history of the world than sending the Inca gold to the eoll’ors of Spain. But nobody understood the value of tlie potato, and its Peruvian origin was generally forgotten before the plant became well-known. The potato was the basis of the ancient Peruvian nation, and has attained almost ihe same importance in other parts of the world within the last 100 vears.