POTATO. See SOLANUM, BOTANY Index.

Potatoes, it is generally thought, came originally from North America, where they were not reckoned good for food. They were first (we are told) introduced into Ireland in the year 1565, and from thence into England by a vessel wrecked on the western coast, called North Meols, in Lancashire, a place and soil even now famous for producing this vegetable in great perfection. It was 40 years after their introduction, however, before they were much cultivated about London; and then they were considered as rarities, without any conception of the utility that might arise from bringing them into common use. At this time they were distinguished from the Spanish by the name of Virginia potatoes or battatas, which is the Indian name of the Spanish sort. At a meeting of the Royal Society, March 18. 1662-3, a letter was read from Mr Buckland, a Somerset gentleman, recommending the planting of potatoes in all parts of the kingdom to prevent famine. This was referred to a committee; and, in consequence of their report, Mr Buckland had the thanks of the society, such members as had lands were intreated to plant them, and Mr Evelyn was desired to mention the proposals at the close of his Sylva.

In Sweden, notwithstanding the indefatigable industry of Linnæus, the culture of potatoes was only introduced in 1764, when a royal edict was published to encourage their general cultivation. They were known there, however, at an earlier period; for in the Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Sweden, 1747, M. Charles Skytte proposed to distil brandy from them, in order to save corn, which in that country is very dear. He found by experience, that an acre of land set with potatoes will yield a much greater quantity of brandy than when sown with barley. For a full account of the methods of cultivating and preserving this valuable root, see AGRICULTURE Index.

We have already mentioned a cheap preparation by means of potatoes for the poor, see AGRICULTURE, No 288.; we shall here introduce a receipt to make a potato harrico, which may be equally useful to those whose circumstances are not such as to make them regardless of economy. We take it from the Gentleman's Magazine, and give it in the words of a person who had made the experiment.

"Scrape the skin clean off four pounds of good raw potatoes, then wash them clean in fair water: take two pounds of beef, one of mutton, and one of pork; or, as you like best, four pounds of any of these meats; cut them into pieces of three or four ounces each, season them very well with pepper and salt and a good onion chopped very small: have ready a strong wide-mouthed stone-jar, such as hares are usually juggled in; slice thin a layer of the potatoes into the jar, then a layer of the seasoned meat over them, and so alternately layers of potatoes and meat; let your uppermost layer be potatoes, so that your jar be about three quarters full, but put no water into your jar; then close or stop the mouth of it with a large well-fitted piece of cork, covering the same with a strong piece of canvas, and tying it down with packthread, so as only a little of the steam may escape in the stewing; for a little should constantly evaporate from the side of the cork to save the jar from bursting. Then place your jar upright in a kettle of cold water on the fire, so as the mouth of the jar may be always two inches above the water in the kettle when boiling. The harrico in the jar will begin to boil some minutes sooner than the water in the kettle, and that for obvious reasons. In about an hour after the water in the kettle begins to boil, your harrico will be fully stewed. Then take out and open the jar, pour out the harrico into a deep dish, and serve it up.

"This excellent, wholesome, and economical dish supplies an agreeable dinner twice a week to a family consisting of three grown people, and three children under 14 years of age, where neither health nor good stomachs are wanting, thanks to God: and, in point of economy, we must observe, that here is the whole article of butter saved, as also the whole article of bread, or nearly so; nor does there require so large or so continued a fire, nor so much time or trouble as is necessary for the dressing of many other dishes that by no means deserve the preference to this excellent harrico.

"We have also (by way of change) made it with powdered beef, sometimes with powdered pork, sometimes with half fresh beef or mutton and half pickled pork, and found it good in all these ways, particularly with three pounds of fresh beef and one of pickled pork. We have left off sending pies and stews to the bakers. We sometimes

Potato
Potash.
sometimes (in a larger kettle) boil a small piece of powdered beef along-side of the jar, by continuing the boiling an hour and a half longer, and this serves us to eat cold the next day, with hot garden-stuff or a pudding."