The United Nations has declared 2009 the International Year of the Potato. Therefore, I decided this year to devote my work to this particular plant and experiment in growing potatoes indoors.

For the first time, I saw potatoes when I was 2 years old, in my grandmother's garden. And even then I had questions: why did she different color why on one bush there are large and small tubers at the same time, where the potatoes came from, why you can’t eat the green “balls” that appeared after flowering, because they are so beautiful! Now I have learned a lot about potatoes and can answer all my childhood questions.

The history of the appearance of potatoes in Europe in Russia.

The Indians first discovered the potato South America in the form of wild plants. The Indians began to grow potatoes as a cultivated plant about 14 thousand years ago. Potatoes replaced their bread and they called him dad. Francis Drake first brought potatoes to Europe (Spain) in 1565, after a trip to South America. Once from America to Europe, the potato became a great traveler. She came to Italy, Belgium, Holland, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Great Britain, etc.

But at first in Europe, potatoes were perceived as a curiosity. Sometimes people did not know the simplest thing: what is edible in a plant. They used it as an ornamental plant, for the sake of beautiful flowers, then they tried the fruits - green berries. A funny story happened in Ireland. The gardener took care of the new plant for a long time. After the potatoes faded, he harvested from the bush - green berries the size of a hazelnut. These fruits were completely inedible. The gardener began to destroy the plant. He pulled the bush by the top and large tubers fell at his feet. After boiling them, he realized that the potatoes were delicious, but they ate them from the wrong end.

Antoine-Auguste Parmentier is the agronomist who discovered that the potato is tasty and nutritious and not at all poisonous.

Potatoes were first brought to Russia by Peter I at the end of the 17th century. He sent a bag of tubers from Holland to the capital to be sent to the provinces for cultivation. At first, the people did not want to recognize this foreign product. Many people died due to poisoning from eating the fruit and refused to plant this overseas plant.

In Russia, potatoes took root with difficulty. Then the ruler was Nicholas 1, nicknamed Palkin. Under him, the guilty soldiers were beaten to death with sticks. He decided to plant potatoes with a stick. People believed the rumors that the potato is a "damn apple" and brings evil. There were potato riots. The rebels were beaten with rods and even exiled to Siberia for disobedience.

But time passed, and the potato turned from an unwanted "guest" into a full-fledged owner on the table, became the second bread for Russia and for the whole of Europe. Great dishes can be prepared from potatoes: boiled potatoes, fried, baked, mashed potatoes, potato casseroles, pancakes, potato pies, dumplings, etc.

Each country has its own name for potatoes. The English are potato. The Dutch - hardapel (in translation - "earth apple"). The French - pom de ter ("earth apple"). Italians - tartufel. The Germans are potatoes. Russians are potatoes. That's how many names potatoes have!

Potato Dishes

Biology of potatoes.

POTATO is a perennial (in culture - annual) plant of the nightshade family, which is grown for its edible tubers. Basically, there are two related species - the Andean potato, which has long been grown in South America, and the Chilean potato, or tuberous, widespread in countries with a temperate climate.

There is an edible sweet potato, or sweet potato. It belongs to a different plant family.

Yam (sweet potato)

Tuberous potatoes are grown in 130 countries, where 75% of the world's population lives. It is the fifth largest source of calories in the diet after wheat, corn, rice and barley. modern man. The leading potato producers are Russia, China, Poland, the USA and India.

Tuberous potato is a herbaceous plant, erect in young age, but after flowering falls down. Stems 0.5–1.5 m long, usually with 6–8 large pubescent leaves. Under the ground, modified shoots (stolons) depart from the tuber. Tubers form at their ends. The root system penetrates to a depth of 1.5m. Flowers (yellow, purple or blue) are formed 6-12 in inflorescences. Pollinated by wind or insects, self-pollination is widespread. The fruit is a globular berry, purple when ripe, containing up to 300 seeds. Seeds are flat, yellow or brown, very small. Tubers are spherical or oblong; those that have reached a length of 8-13 cm are usually eaten. Their outer color is white, yellow, pink, red or blue; inner part more or less white. On the surface of the tuber lie the so-called. ocelli bearing 3-4 buds. The formation of tubers begins just before flowering and ends at the end of the growing season. Inside the tuber are large reserves of starch.

Potatoes are propagated vegetatively by tubers. Germination of tuber buds in the soil begins at 5-8°C (the optimum temperature for potato germination is 15-20°C). The best soils for potatoes are chernozems, soddy-podzolic, gray forest, drained peatlands.

Non-standard ways of growing potatoes.

There are many ways to plant potatoes. From industrial to almost decorative - growing in barrels. Potatoes are planted on ridges and in trenches, in a checkerboard pattern and under a film. The choice of technology depends, firstly, on the soil. Where groundwater is close, and in low areas it is better to prefer landing on ridges. In dry places - in trenches or separate holes.

To harvest an early potato crop, the tubers are planted under black non-woven fabric. The site is dug up, fertilized, leveled with a rake and covered with a black film, fixing the edges. Then it is necessary to make cruciform incisions in it, dig holes 10-12 cm deep with a scoop and place the tubers in them. This method will protect potatoes from frost, keep moisture in the ground, avoid weed control and, finally, get a crop almost a month earlier. That's how they grow early varieties potatoes. During harvesting, the tops are cut off, the film is removed and the tubers are collected practically from the soil surface.

There is another interesting way to intensively grow potatoes - in a barrel. You need to take a high, preferably without a bottom, barrel (iron, plastic, wooden, wicker). Make holes around the circumference so that water does not stagnate and the soil breathes. At the bottom of the container, place several potatoes in a circle or in a checkerboard pattern and cover with a layer of earth. When seedlings reach 2-3 cm, sprinkle them again with earth. And so several times until the barrel is filled with about a meter in height. The main thing is not to let the sprouts fully hatch, that is, to form a green part. In this case, the root system will stop developing and a thick stem will stretch to the very surface of the earth. The land in the container should be regularly fed and watered well, especially in hot, dry weather. As a result, in a container with a volume of about one cubic meter, you can grow a bag and more potatoes.

Interesting Facts.

There is a potato museum in Belgium. Among its exhibits are thousands of items telling about the history of the potato - from postage stamps with its image to famous paintings on the same topic (Van Gogh's The Potato Eaters).

On some tropical islands potatoes were used as the equivalent of money.

Poems and ballads were dedicated to potatoes.

The potato was once glorified in his music by the great Johann Sebastian Bach.

There are two rare varieties in which the color of the skin and flesh remains blue even after boiling.

Different varieties of potatoes.

One of the most common varieties with a bluish peel grown in Russian gardens is "blue-eye". However, few people know what is scientifically called "Hannibal", in honor of the great-grandfather of Alexander Pushkin, Abram Hannibal, who was the first to conduct experiments on the selection and storage of potatoes in Russia.

In the city of Minsk in the 2000s, a monument to potatoes was opened. In Mariinsk (Kemerovo region) will soon open.

In Ireland, a gardener spent a long time caring for a plant that his owner brought from America. After the potatoes faded, he harvested from the bush - green berries the size of a hazelnut. These fruits were completely inedible. The gardener began to destroy the plant. He pulled the bush by the top and large tubers fell at his feet. After boiling them, he realized that the potatoes were delicious, but they ate them from the wrong end.

II. Research objectives:

Is it possible to grow a potato plant indoors during the polar night.

Compare the growth and development of plants placed in different conditions.

Find out if it is possible to get the same plants by planting potatoes whole tubers or halves.

Research objectives:

Find information in literature, the Internet, in TV shows, videos.

Prepare container and soil for planting.

Germinate potatoes in warmth and then plant them in soil.

Place the planted potatoes with whole tubers and half tubers in different conditions:

1. additional lighting + heat (control plant);

2. no lighting + heat;

3. without additional lighting + low temperature;

When the potatoes begin to germinate, record the results in a diary of observations.

Take measurements, take pictures, write down your thoughts, assumptions in an observation diary.

Based on the results, make a table, then build a graph and draw conclusions, and, if possible, make recommendations.

Scheme of experience.

06.01.09 - planted potatoes with whole tubers.

06.02.09 - completed the experiment.

06.01.09 - planted potatoes in halves.

06.02.09 - completed the experiment.

Conditions for the experiment.

III. Experiment methodology.

When I did not go to school yet and spent a lot of time with my grandmother, in the village, I noticed that she plants potatoes in the garden with whole tubers, and cuts them in half if the potatoes are large.

Conducting an experiment with growing potatoes in an apartment, I decided to compare:

1. Growth and development of potato plants placed in different conditions (three options).

2. Growth and development of a potato plant planted with whole tubers and halves under the same conditions.

If we assume that potatoes from halves will grow and develop no worse than from whole tubers, then fewer potatoes will be needed to plant the same area. It's more profitable. I will draw conclusions on my assumption after observations.

At the end of December, I selected healthy potato tubers and placed them in a warm, dark place to germinate.

06.01.09 - planted them in the prepared soil and placed them in the selected places. Those are the three options I mentioned earlier.

I watered the plant every 2 days.

Planted germinated tubers.

10.01 - the first sprout appeared in V. 2.

13.01 - sprouts appeared in V. 1 and V. 3.

First sprouts.

Every 5 days, the height of all plants was measured and recorded in a table. The difference in plant height became more and more noticeable. Plant B. 2. "burst" ahead and "led" until the end of the experiment, gaining a height of 62 cm.

It didn't surprise me. The plant was kept in a dark place. I assumed that it would grow faster, "seek the light", reach out to it. Plant B. 3. grows more slowly. He lacks light, and the cold slows down growth. V. 1 is in favorable conditions and grows almost like in a garden.

First sprouts. After 10 days.

As a result of observations, it became noticeable that both the color and the thickness of the plant stems in the three variants differ. V different time leaves appear, they have a different color and their color changes depending on growth.

So, in Option 1 - the stems and leaves are "strong", large. They immediately purchased green color and remained so until the end of cultivation. This is understandable, because the plant received enough light. In the leaves of any plant there is a coloring matter (chlorophyll), which manifests itself in the presence of heat and light. This plant is similar to those that grow in the garden.

In Option 2 - throughout the whole time, the stems are white, long, thin and the leaves are small, yellowish, although they appeared first. This plant was in the dark, did not receive light, chlorophyll was not produced. It is the highest, but the weakest.

In Option 3, the stems and leaves are pale green throughout the entire observation period, the leaves are small. It was illuminated periodically. This plant occupies the 2nd place in development.

Every plant needs water to grow. I noticed that it was necessary to water the plant more often, which was warm with additional lighting. This means that moisture evaporates faster. Less often than others, they watered potatoes that were in a dark place.

Potato plants planted with whole tubers and halves by their development and appearance they do not differ.

IV. Processing of received data.

On 06.02.09 the last measurements were made and the results were entered in the table.

13. 01. 09 0,6 3 0,4

18. 01. 09 2 11 4

22. 01. 09 13 20 10

27. 01. 09 21 38 17

01. 02. 09 27 48 23

06. 02. 09 35 56 29

The results of measuring the height of potato sprouts planted with whole tubers.

Chart No. 1

Height, cm Option 1 Option 2 Option 3

13. 01. 09 0,5 4 0,5

18. 01. 09 1,5 18 3

22. 01. 09 7 35 11

27. 01. 09 23 43 18

01. 02. 09 25 52 20

06. 02. 09 42 62 25

To visually see the results of potato growth, you can build a graph.

The results of measuring the height of potato sprouts planted in halves.

Chart #2

V. Conclusion.

1. A potato plant can be grown at home during the polar night.

2. According to the results of observations and measurements, it can be seen that a plant grown higher than others, placed in a warm place without constant lighting. It is tall, but very pale, weak. The leaves are small yellowish. The plant was drawn to the light, all the forces went into growth, and not into its development. Plant height 62 cm.

Option 2

The most beautiful and developed is a plant placed in a warm place with additional illumination. In this potato, nutrition was spent on development: the stem and leaves are green, large.

Plant height 42 cm.

Option 1

3. A plant grown in a cool place without constant lighting is light green, slightly elongated, the stem is thin, the leaves are small and very light. It received insufficient light and heat.

Plant height 25 cm.

4. For the best development of a potato plant in room conditions, it is required:

Additional lighting with fluorescent lamps;

Regular watering; Option 3

5. Plants planted with whole tubers and halves do not differ in growth. It can be concluded that it is more profitable to plant tubers cut into pieces in the garden. That will be more economical. And the remaining potatoes are better to use for food and cook something delicious.

6. A plant grown by one's own hands brings great joy. It becomes like a friend. Every day you meet with him, take care of him, you can talk (by the way, then it will grow better).

I haven't finished my work. Spring is coming, I want to see if it blooms, and maybe small tubers will appear.

Many more experiments can be done with plants, and maybe next year I will continue working in this direction.

I have reached my goal.

This is how potatoes grew during the experiment.

Potatoes were brought to Russia quite late, at the very beginning of the 18th century. This was done by Peter I, who first tried various potato dishes in Holland. Having approved gastronomic and taste qualities product, he ordered the delivery of a bag of tubers to Russia for planting and cultivation.

In Russia, potatoes took root very well, but Russian peasants were afraid of an unknown plant and often refused to grow it. Here begins a very funny story related to the method of solving the problem that Peter I resorted to. The Tsar ordered the fields to be sown with potatoes and armed guards were assigned to them, who were supposed to guard the fields all day long, and went to bed at night. The temptation was great, the peasants from nearby villages could not resist and stole potatoes, which became for them a sweet forbidden fruit, from the sown fields for planting on their plots.

At first, cases of potato poisoning were often recorded, but this happened, as a rule, due to the inability of the peasants to properly use potatoes. Peasants ate potatoes, berries resembling small tomatoes, which, as you know, are not suitable for food and even poisonous.

Of course, this did not become an obstacle to the spread of potatoes in Russia, where it gained immense popularity and many times saved a significant part of the population from starvation during crop failures. No wonder in Russia potatoes were called the second bread. And, of course, the name of the potato is very eloquent about its nutritional properties: it comes from the German words "kraft teufel", which means "devil's power".

“Potato - has a weak, unbalanced, uncertain energy, the energy of doubt. The body becomes lethargic, lazy, sour. The solid energy of potatoes is called starch, which in the body cannot be processed with alkaline acid, is poorly excreted from the body, sharply reduces the speed of thought, and blocks the immune system. Potatoes are not compatible with any products. If it is, then separately, it is advisable to cook in uniform. In the peel and just below it is a substance that helps break down starch.

In Russia, there never was a potato, it was brought by the "dark" and cultivated by force. Gradually, they brought it out and designated it in the thoughts of people as the main vegetable, which greatly harmed the human body. Today it is the most important vegetable product on the table, it is considered the second bread, and healthy vegetables have been transferred to the category of secondary ones.

We ask you in no case to use potatoes for students of the School of Happiness, where everything is aimed at increasing the speed of thought, because potatoes will reduce everything to zero.
Potatoes can be eaten young, for two months, then they become poison. Replace potatoes with turnips. It is no coincidence that they try to completely remove turnips from food.”
(from the book “Knowledge stored by dolmens”, A. Savrasov)

Also for anyone who is interested healthy eating it is known that potatoes are a very mucus-forming product, and mucus is practically not excreted from the body, but is deposited, causing many diseases (“traditional” medicine knows nothing about this, of course)).

There was a time when Russian Old Believers considered potatoes to be a devilish temptation. No wonder, because this foreign root crop was forcibly introduced into the Russian land! The churchmen, anathematizing, dubbed him the "devil's apple." To say a kind word about potatoes, and even in print, was very risky. But today, many of our fellow citizens are sure that potatoes come from Russia, or, at worst, Belarus, and America gave the world only french fries.

The potato was first brought to Europe after the conquest of Peru by the Spaniards, who spread it to the Netherlands, Burgundy and Italy.

There is no exact information about the appearance of potatoes in Russia, but it is associated with the Petrine era. At the end of the 17th century, Peter I (and again Peter I), while in the Netherlands on ship business, became interested in this plant, and “for brood” he sent a bag of tubers from Rotterdam to Count Sheremetyev. In order to accelerate the spread of the potato, the Senate only in 1755-66 considered the introduction of the potato 23 TIMES!

In the first half of the XVIII century. potatoes were bred in significant numbers by “particular people” (probably foreigners and upper class people). Measures for the widespread cultivation of potatoes were first taken under Catherine II, on the initiative of the Medical College, whose president at that time was Baron Alexander Cherkasov. The case was originally about finding funds to help the starving peasants of Finland “without much dependency”. On this occasion, the medical board reported to the Senate in 1765 that The best way to the prevention of this disaster "consists in those earthen apples, which in England are called pottes, and in other places earthen pears, tartuffels and kartuffels."

Then, at the command of the empress, the Senate sent seeds to all places of the empire and instructions on the development of potatoes and care about this were entrusted to the governors. Under Paul I, it was also prescribed to grow potatoes not only in vegetable gardens, but also on field land. In 1811, three colonists were sent to the Arkhangelsk province with instructions to plant a certain number of acres of potatoes. All these measures were fragmentary; The mass of the population met the potato with distrust, and its culture was not grafted.

Only in the reign of Nicholas I, in view of the former in 1839 and 1840. In the wake of a crop failure in some provinces, the government took the most vigorous measures to spread potato crops. By the highest orders, which followed in 1840 and 1842, it was decided:

1) to establish in all state-owned villages public sowing of potatoes to supply the latter to the peasants for future sowing.
2) issue instructions on the cultivation, storage and use of potatoes.
3) encourage with premiums and other awards the owners who are distinguished by the cultivation of Potatoes.

The implementation of these measures met in many places with stubborn resistance from the population.
Thus, in the Irbitsky and neighboring districts of the Perm province of the states, the peasants somehow connected the idea of ​​​​selling them to the landowners with the prescription of public sowing of potatoes. A potato riot broke out (1842), expressed in the beating of the rural authorities and demanded the assistance of military teams to pacify their assistance, which in one volost were even forced to use buckshot;

In terms of the number of peasants participating in it and the vastness of the area covered by it, this is the largest of the Russian unrest of the 19th century, which entailed reprisals, which were distinguished by the usual cruelty of that time.

Intersting fact:
The owner of the estate, General R.O. Gerngros, growing tubers since 1817, gave them to farmers for seeds. However, crops on peasant plots turned out to be sparse. It turned out that the peasants, having planted tubers, dug up and sold “damned earthen apples” for vodka at the nearest tavern at night. Then the general went for a trick: he gave out not whole, but cut tubers for seeds. Their peasants did not choose from the land and gathered a good harvest, and having convinced themselves of the convenience of potatoes, they themselves began to breed it.

In general, those who needed it and benefited from the degrading of the Russian people achieved their goal and the potato became our second bread.

Who Invented French Fries? It seems that potatoes have always been on our table. Its cheapness and ease of preparation make chefs of "haute cuisine" treat the miracle vegetable condescendingly and leave the preparation of potato dishes at the mercy of fast food and housewives. However, just a few centuries ago, Europe did not even have an idea about the potato - it arrived from the New World along with other vegetables that are now familiar to us - tomatoes, corn and sweet peppers.

There is evidence that potatoes were grown in Peru and Bolivia as early as 2,000 years ago. It was a hopeless plant growing on high altitudes. The Oxford Culinary Dictionary characterizes the wild potato as "a plant with small, ugly, knobby tubers, profuse blooms, and a bitter taste." There are many varieties of wild potatoes, and some of them grow at an altitude of 4000 meters without freezing. Wild potatoes are still dug up and eaten by the natives of South America, preferring to spend time cooking the bitter tubers rather than planting cultivars.

Europeans first encountered potatoes in 1537 in what is now Colombia. Spanish troops under the command of the brave hidalgo Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada entered the deserted Indian village. The natives prudently fled, leaving even food supplies behind. While looting, the Spaniards found corn already known to them and a few knotty tubers, which they called "truffles". They described these "truffles" as "delicious, loved by the Indians, and fit even for the Spaniards."

The potato was brought to Spain and Italy in the 1550s. But in the warm Mediterranean climate, potatoes grew poorly and did not become a favorite dish in those parts. As history has shown, the true admirers and eaters of potatoes lived to the north.

The emergence of potatoes in Great Britain and Ireland is associated with Sir Walter Raleigh and the pirate Francis Drake. But no matter who brought potatoes to foggy Albion, they began to plant them on the islands already in the 1590s. Interestingly, the Protestants of Northern Ireland and Scotland refused to grow an unknown vegetable, since it was not mentioned in the Bible. Irish Catholics overcame this obstacle by sprinkling the tubers with holy water. In the 1800s, potatoes became the staple food of the Irish. When a fungus spread in the fields, destroying the entire crop of 1840, the famous potato famine broke out in Ireland.

Europeans at first thought that the potato was poisonous - after all, it belongs to the nightshade family along with belladonna and tomatoes, which were also suspected of being inedible. In 1784, Count Rumfoord added potatoes instead of barley to his famous workhouse soup described by Karl Marx in Capital. The count does this because potatoes are cheaper and more satisfying, but just in case, he hides from the workers - they could refuse stew with potatoes, fearing poisoning.

The potato was slow to gain acceptance despite its reputation as an aphrodisiac—Shakespeare mentions it, along with vanilla, as an aphrodisiac in The Merry Wives of Windsor. Relatively easily, potatoes took root only in Germany and the Netherlands, where the population appreciated its productivity and unpretentiousness.

Potatoes were brought to Russia by Peter I, who was a passionate innovator and a Westernizer. But, as in Europe, the potato took root with a creak and in an extreme Russian way - with batogs and penal servitude. They began to plant him voluntarily only under Catherine II.

In France, the potato became popular thanks to the French army officer Antoine-Auguste Parmentier, who was taken prisoner during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). His meager prison diet in the fortress of Hamburg consisted of one potato. He liked the potato stew, and after his release, the war hero presented the tubers to King Louis XVI and his crowned wife, the frivolous Marie Antoinette. The queen began wearing a potato flower on her corsage and even stopped eating cakes for mashed potatoes. The fashion for potatoes swept through France. The fact that for the French the passion for potatoes did not become fleeting is evidenced by the fact that during the French Revolution, about 25 years later, the royal gardens of the Tuileries were turned into potato fields.

And in 1840, french fries first appeared in Paris. Unfortunately, we do not know the name of the genius chef who was the first to cut potatoes into long and thin pieces and fry them in boiling oil. The dish became immediately popular - peddlers successfully sold it on the streets of Paris as a quick snack.

French fries crossed the English Channel and were sold alongside fried fish in England. This snack is still in demand among the British. But the French invention won true popular love in the USA. Today, fast food chains McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy and others like them have instilled a love for french fries around the world. Over time, it was forgotten that french fries come from France - in many countries they began to call it "American potatoes".

Today we will open the curtain on the question Who was the first to bring potatoes to Russia. It is known that in South America the Indians have been successfully cultivating potatoes since time immemorial. This root crop was brought to Europe by the Spaniards in the middle of the 16th century. There is no reliable information about exactly when this vegetable appeared in Russia, but researchers note that this event is more likely connected with the Petrine period. At the end of the 17th century, Peter I, visiting Holland, was interested in this unusual plant. Approvingly commenting on the taste and nutritional properties of the tuber, he ordered the delivery of a bag of seeds to Count Sheremetyev in Russia for breeding.

Distribution of potatoes in Moscow

In the capital of Russia, the vegetable took root slowly, at first the peasants were distrustful of the foreign product and refused to cultivate it. In those days there was interesting story associated with solving this problem. The king ordered to plant potatoes in the fields and guard them, but only during the daytime, and at night the fields were specially left unattended. The peasants of the adjacent villages could not resist the temptation and began to steal tubers from the fields, first for food, and then for sowing.

At first, cases of potato poisoning were often noted, but this was due to the ignorance of ordinary people how to properly use this product. Peasants ate potato berries, which are very similar to green tomatoes, but unsuitable for human food and very poisonous. Also, from improper storage, for example, in the sun, the tuber began to turn green, solanine was formed in it, and this is a poisonous toxin. All these reasons led to poisoning.

Also, the Old Believers, of whom there were a great many, considered this vegetable a devilish temptation, their preachers did not allow their co-religionists to either plant it or. And church ministers anathematized the root crop and dubbed it the "devil's apple", because. translated from German language"kraft toyfels" - "damn power."

Due to all these factors, the excellent idea of ​​​​Peter I to spread this root crop throughout Mother Russia was not implemented. As historians say, the tsar's decree on the widespread distribution of this culture aroused the indignation of the people, forcing the monarch to listen and retreat from the "potato" of the country.

Introduction of potatoes

Measures for the large-scale promotion of potatoes everywhere were initiated by Empress Catherine II. In 1765, more than 464 pounds of root crops were purchased from Ireland and delivered to the Russian capital. These tubers and instructions were delivered to all corners of the Empire by the Senate. It was also supposed to cultivate potatoes not only in public fields, but also in vegetable gardens.

In 1811 Three settlers were sent to the Arkhangelsk province with the task of planting a certain amount of land. But all the measures taken for the introduction did not have a clearly planned system, so the population met the potato with suspicion, and the culture did not take root.

Only under Nicholas I, due to the low yield of grain crops, in some volosts began to carry out more decisive measures for the cultivation of tubers. In 1841 issued a decree from the authorities, which ordered:

• to acquire in all settlements public crops to provide the peasants with seeds;
• publish a manual on the cultivation, preservation and use of potatoes;
• award prizes especially distinguished in breeding culture.

People's riot

The implementation of these measures met with popular resistance in many counties. In 1842 a potato riot broke out, manifested in the beating of representatives of local authorities. To pacify the rebels, government troops were involved, which destroyed the unrest of the people with particular cruelty. For a long time, the main food product for people was turnips. But slowly attention to the potato returned. And only at the beginning of the 19th century this vegetable gained wide popularity and many times saved the people from starvation during lean years. It is no coincidence that potatoes are called "second bread".

History of the potato

Potato originates from South America, where this plant can still be found in the wild. It was on the territory of South America that potatoes began to be cultivated as a cultivated plant. The Indians ate it, in addition, the potato was considered a living being, the local population worshiped him. The spread of potatoes around the world began with the Spanish conquest of new territories. In their reports, the Spaniards described the local population, as well as the plants that were eaten. Among them was a potato, which at that time had not yet received the name we were used to, then it was called a truffle.

A significant contribution to the spread of potatoes in European countries was made by the historian Pedro Cieza de Leon. In 1551, he brought this vegetable to Spain, and in 1553 he wrote an essay in which he described the history of the discovery of potatoes, their taste and nutritional properties, the rules for preparing and storing them.

From Spain, potatoes spread to Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain and other European countries. Potato began to be valued as an ornamental plant, it was practically not eaten, considering it poisonous. Later, the nutritional and taste properties of the potato were confirmed, and it became widely known as a food product.

❧ The most expensive potato in the world is the LaBonnotte variety, which is grown on the island of Noirmoutier. Its yield is only 100 tons per year. The tuber is exceptionally tender, so it is only harvested by hand.

To Russia potatoes came thanks to Peter I. At the end of the 17th century. he sent a bag of potato tubers from Holland and ordered them to be distributed throughout the provinces so that they could grow it there. Potatoes became widespread only under Catherine II.

The peasants did not know how to properly grow and consume potatoes. Because of the many poisonings, it was considered a poisonous plant. As a result, the peasants refused to plant this crop, and this caused several "potato riots". By royal decree in 1840-1842. A mass planting of potatoes was carried out throughout the country. Its cultivation was under strict control. Eventually to late XIX v. Potato plantings began to occupy large areas. It got the name "second bread" as it became one of the staple foods.

❧ There is a museum in Belgium dedicated to the potato. There you can find many exhibits depicting this plant - this is stamps, and paintings famous artists, such as Van Gogh's The Potato Eaters.

Useful properties of potatoes

Potatoes contain a large amount of potassium, which helps to remove salt and excess water from the body. Because of this, potatoes are often used in dietary nutrition. But it is worth considering that potatoes contain a high amount of carbohydrates, so they should not be carried away by people who are prone to fullness. Potatoes are an indispensable assistant in the fight against gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, it has an alkalizing effect, which is undeniably important for people suffering from high acidity. In addition to starch, potatoes contain vitamin C, various vitamins and proteins.