The Potatos of Canada, (which hath diuers names giuen it by diuers men, as Pelleterius of Middleborough in his Plantarum Synonimia, calleth it Heliotropium Indicum tuberosum, Fabius Columna in the second part of his Phytobasanos, Flos Solis Farnesianus, siue Aster Peruanus tuberosus: We in England, from some ignorant and idle head, haue called them Artichokes of Ierusalem, only because the roote, being boyled, is in taste like the bottome of an Artichoke head: but they may most fitly be called, Potatos of Canada, because their rootes are in forme, colour and taste, like vnto the Potatos of Virginia, but greater, and the French brought them first from Canada into these parts) riseth vp with diuers stiffe, round stalkes, eight or tenne foote high in our Country, where they haue scarce shewed their flowers, whereas the very head of flowers in other Countries, as Fabius Columna expresseth it, being of a Pyramis or Sugar loafe fashion, broade spreading below, and smaller pointed vpwards towards the toppe, is neere of the same length, whereon are set large and broade rough greene leaues, very like vnto the leaues of the flower of the Sunne, but smaller, yet growing in the very same manner, round about the stalkes: at the very later end of Summer, or the beginning of Autumne, if the roote bee well planted and defended, it will giue a shew of a few small yellow flowers at the top, like vnto the flowers of Aster or Starre-worte, and much smaller then any flower of the Sunne, which come to no perfection with vs: the roote, while the plant is growing aboue ground, encreaseth not to his full growth, but when the Summer is well spent, and the springing of the stalk is past, which is about the end of August, or in September, then the root is perceiued to be encreased in the earth, and will before Autumne be spent, that is, in October, swell like a mound or hillocke, round about the foote of the stalkes, and will not haue his rootes fit to be taken vp, vntill the stalkes be halfe withered at the soonest; but after they be withered, and so all the winter long vntill the Spring againe, they are good, and fit to bee taken vp and vsed, which are a number of tuberous round rootes, growing close together; so that it hath beene obserued, that from one roote, being set in the Spring, there hath been forty or more taken vp againe, and to haue ouer-filled a pecke measure, and are of a pleasant good taste as many haue tryed.

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The Potato’s of Canada are by reason of their great increasing, growne to be so common here with vs at London, that euen the most vulgar begin to despise them, whereas when they were first receiued among vs, they were dainties for a Queene.

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Being put into seething water they are soone boyled tender, which after they bee peeled, sliced and stewed with butter, and a little wine, was a dish for a Queene, beeing as pleasant as the bottome of an Artichoke: but the too frequent vse, especially being so plentifull and cheape, hath rather bred a loathing then a liking of them.

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This text has been reproduced from Paradisi in Sole (1629) available on Project Gutenburg.