THE HOMELY “SPUD”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 October 1938, Page 5

THE HOMELY “SPUD”

ITS ROMANTIC PAST. The homely “spud” does not give one the feeling of romance, yet no vegetable on our table today can look back upon such a romantic past as the potato. History and fable give many tales regarding the introduction of the potato, most of which are pure fables. One of the most remarkable things about the potato is that it belongs to a family, the Solanums, which includes the deadly nightshade—in fact, a family more renowned for its poisonous qualities than as food plants. It is evident that the potato was in use in South America a long time ago, and seems to have been known in Europe before its introduction to England. Its advent in England has been ascribed to Sir Francis Drake, Sir John

Hawkins and Sir Walter Raleigh. It is recorded that the Governor of Virginia sent potatoes to Sir Walter Raleigh, and there is no doubt that Sir Walter did grow potatoes at Younghall, in Ireland, and distributed them to his friends. The story goes that Sir Walter gave his Irish gardener some tubers to plant in the kitchen garden. They were planted, and in the autumn they fruited, but the berries were so different from what he expected that he carried the “potato apples” to his master and asked: “Is this the fine fruit from America you praised so highly?” Sir Walter was, or pretended to be ignorant of the matter, and told him to dig them up and throw them away. The gardener did so and soon returned with a parcel of potatoes. Gerard, who was one of the first to grow the potato in England, had a garden in Hatton, in High Holborn, then a suburban district, today known as Hatton garden and famous as the

diamond market of the world. The deed is still in existence by which Queen Anne gave him a grant of land in 1604, on the north side of the Thames, near where Somerset House now stands.

Years elapsed before the potato became a regular article of diet, but in 1662-63 its value was demonstrated and extensive planting was urged to prevent famine. At the present time potatoes rank next in importance to wheat as a food crop. America is given the credit for the first potato boom. In 1870 prizes were offered for the greatest yield from 11b. of seed of certain new varieties, which were offered at 5s per lb. The winner produced 6091 b. from lib of seed. The following year 10181 b. was obtained from lib. of seed. This meant that 141 b. of seed would produce six tons of produce. Naturally prices rose and tubers sold at 5s per lb„ equivalent to £3 10s for 141 b., £2B per cwt., and £560 per

ton. In 1870, 50 guineas were offered at a show held in the Royal Horticultural Gardens, South Kensington, for the, heaviest crop from 11b. of seed. The’ result was big piles of huge tubers. The largest crop was 6721 b. In this case the pound of seed gave 121 plants, which occupied eight rods of deeplytrenched ground with an abundance of manure. The variety grown was Eureka. The judges refused to award the prizes as the quality was not good enough. Thus ended the American boom, and although one cannot consider that such short-lived notoriety is any criterion of value, and although many of the varieties went out with the boom, there are some of the varieties in existence today, and can still be considered popular.