The potato is a relative of tobacco and the tomato.
The potato is the forth most important crop after wheat, rice, and corn.
It is most likely that all of Europe's potato crops of the 1800's originated from only 2 plants brought back to Europe by the Spaniards. This lack of genetic diversity is one of the probable causes of the devastating potato blight of the late 19th century.
Up until the late 18th century the French believed that potatoes caused Leprosy.
Antoine-Auguste Parmentier was an 18th century agronomist who convinsed the common French people to accept the potato as a safe food. He used reverse pychology by posting guards around the fields during the day to "prevent people from stealing them". He left them unguarded at night. So, every night the theives would sneak in and leave with sacks of these precious potatos. |
