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National Geographic : 1916 May
Contents
STAIRCASE FARMS OF THE ANCIENTS The instinctive prejudice against new food plants prevented any general utili zation of the potato in Europe for over two centuries, and it did not begin to be grown as a crop until the period of the French Revolution. Even then it had to be forced on the public by the persistent efforts of the French philanthropist, Par mentier, who demonstrated its food pos sibilities by establishing a large number of soup kitchens for the poor of Paris. Potato soup still bears the name Parmen tier-a homely memorial, but one that might not be-ungrateful to a philanthro pist. Historically-speaking, the general utili zation of the potato is still relatively re cent. Less than a century ago it was still considered as something of a novelty among the farmers of the United States. Thus, in 1856, we find in the American Agriculturist the following statement: "I have worked a farm over fifty years, and have cultivated potatoes more or less every year. Fifty years ago little was thought of this root. A row or two were planted on the outside of corn-fields, or in some corner of a lot unfit for anything else. Ten to fifteen bushels was an ample supply for a family. There is a great difference between then and now as re gards this crop, for potatoes are now one of the most important branches of agri culture" (Vol. 15, p. 256). Contrast with this statement the fact that about 400,000,000 bushels of pota toes are produced annually in the United States. The world's crop of potatoes must be more than 6,000,000,000 bushels. The statistics of production for 1912 showed 5,931,493,000 bushels, but in cluded no returns for the ancient centers of production in the table-land regions of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela, nor for Central America or Mexico. As the potato-growing districts are the chief centers of population in all these countries, many millions of bushels must be produced by them. The world total of six billion bushels means that if the potato crop of the world were to be divided equally, there would be enough to give each inhabitant of the earth about four bushels of pota toes. The value of a single potato crop probably much exceeds that of all the gold that the conquerors took from the Incas. THE HOME OF THE POTATO CAN GIVE US OTHER VALUABLE FOODS As the home of the potato, Peru may be looked upon as the source or fountain head from which must come new stocks to strengthen and maintain the varieties of this great food staple. Just as con tinued importation of live-stock breeds is necessary to renew our American strains, it is now beginning to be urged that new and vigorous varieties of potatoes be found to offset the gradually waning virility of old and run-out stocks. Other possibilities lie in the direction of securing varieties that are really su perior to any that we now have. Not withstanding the enormous importance that has been attained by the potato in the agriculture of Europe and the United States, no adequate attempt has been made to secure the best forms for our use. Peru has many kinds of potatoes su perior in quality to those that we culti vate, but most of them would not be con sidered promising with us, because the tubers would be hard to peel on account of irregular form and very deep eyes (page 524). Breeders of potato varieties have been influenced very largely by the size and form of the tubers, with quality and flavor left largely out of account. But, with such an infinity of forms to draw upon in South America, it should be possible to combine all of the desirable features. Some of the Peruvian varie ties are almost ideal in form (page 524). It seems very strange, in view of the importance attained by the potato, that there should not have been a more gen eral appreciation of this and the other plant treasures that South America has bestowed upon the other continents. Not only the Peruvian varieties of potatoes, but many of the agricultural plants of Peru, are still entirely unknown in other countries. Much less has there been any systematic effort to gain what might be described as an agricultural cognizance of these treasures - that is, a practical knowledge of the nature, habits, and uses 513
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