“French fries” are pieces of potato fried in a large amount of oil. More often, special utensils are used to prepare it - a deep fryer, without which it is difficult to imagine any eatery that serves this most popular dish.
The history of French fries has several versions. For example, in English-speaking countries this dish is called French potatoes or “French Fries”. However, French fries were not invented in France. It is believed that such potatoes were first prepared in Belgium at the end of the 17th century.
According to the inhabitants of Belgium, French fries, or as they call them “frits,” which is one of the favorite dishes of their national cuisine, were first prepared in the Meuse valley, near the town of Liege. The inhabitants of this valley often fried fish that they caught in the local river. Moreover, it was first cut into thin bars and then fried in a large amount of oil. However, in winter, when the river froze and there was no fish, the residents of the valley had to give up their favorite dish. And then the Belgians came up with the idea of using potatoes instead of fish! The name frites came from an enterprising Belgian resident named Frite. It was he who first began selling potato slices fried in oil in 1861.
So where did the name “French potatoes” come from? This happened due to a fatal mistake. The fact is that during the First World War, American soldiers tried this unusual dish for the first time thanks to their Belgian allies. A large number of Belgian soldiers came from the French-speaking part of Belgium. This is where “French style” was added to the potatoes.
The story of French fries doesn't end there. Fate gave potatoes a second chance in the middle of the last century, bringing them together with the railway. The train carrying an important political figure to Paris was delayed, and the cooks serving the official dinner had to fry the potato slices a second time. The result spoke for itself: the potatoes became crispier and tastier. The most sophisticated way to prepare potatoes is to double fry them in olive oil.
If we talk about the other side of the coin, or rather the potato, then the enthusiasm here will diminish. The presence of chemical additives (pesticides and various stimulants) not only negatively affected the quality of the product, but also harmed the body. The use of pre-cooked and then frozen potatoes, as well as the repeated use of oil in which they were fried, ultimately led to a sharp deterioration of the product.
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, Indians have successfully cultivated potatoes since time immemorial. This root vegetable was brought to Europe by the Spaniards in the middle of the 16th century. There is no reliable information about when exactly this vegetable appeared in Rus', but researchers note that this event is more likely associated with the Peter the Great period. At the end of the 17th century, Peter I, visiting Holland, was interested in this unusual plant. Having spoken approvingly of 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 distrusted the foreign product and refused to cultivate it. In those days there was an interesting story related to the solution to this problem. The king ordered potatoes to be planted in the fields and protected, but only during the daytime, and at night the fields were deliberately 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 reported, but this was due to the ignorance of ordinary people on how to properly use this product. The 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 coreligionists to plant it or. And church ministers anathematized the root crop and dubbed it the “devil’s apple,” because Translated from German, “Kraft Teufels” means “devil’s power.”
Due to all of the above factors, Peter I’s excellent idea of distributing this root crop throughout mother Russia was not implemented. As historians say, the king’s decree on the widespread dissemination of this crop aroused the indignation of the people, forcing the monarch to listen and retreat from the “potatoization” of the country.
Introduction of potatoes
Measures for the large-scale promotion of potatoes everywhere were launched by Empress Catherine II. In 1765, more than 464 pounds of root crops were purchased from Ireland and delivered to the Russian capital. The Senate delivered these tubers and instructions to all corners of the Empire. It was also intended to cultivate potatoes not only on public field lands, 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 implementation measures taken did not have a clearly planned system, so the population greeted potatoes with suspicion, and the crop did not take root.
Only under Nicholas I, due to the low grain harvest, did some volosts begin to take more decisive measures to cultivate tuber crops. In 1841 A decree was issued by the authorities, which ordered:
- acquire public crops in all settlements to provide peasants with seeds;
- publish guidelines on the cultivation, preservation and consumption of potatoes;
- award prizes to those who have especially distinguished themselves in the cultivation of crops.
People's revolt
The implementation of these measures encountered popular resistance in many counties. In 1842 A potato riot broke out, which manifested itself in the beating of local authorities. To pacify the rioters, government troops were brought in, who destroyed the unrest of the people with particular cruelty. For a long time, turnips were the main food product for people. But little by little attention to potatoes returned. It was only at the beginning of the 19th century that this vegetable became widely known and many times saved people from starvation during lean years. It is no coincidence that potatoes were nicknamed “second bread”.
The UN declared 2009 the “International Year of the Potato”. Therefore, this year I decided to devote my work to this particular plant and experiment with growing potatoes indoors.
The first time I saw potatoes was when I was 2 years old, in my grandmother’s garden. And even then I had questions: why are they different colors, why are there large and small tubers on one bush at the same time, where did the potatoes come from, why can’t I 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.
Potatoes were first discovered by the Indians of South America in the form of wild thickets. The Indians began growing potatoes as a cultivated plant approximately 14 thousand years ago. Potatoes replaced bread and they called him daddy. Potatoes were first brought to Europe (Spain) by Francis Drake in 1565, after traveling to South America. Once from America to Europe, potatoes became a great traveler. It reached 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 its beautiful flowers, then they tried the fruits - green berries. A funny story happened in Ireland. The gardener spent a long time caring for the new plant. After the potatoes bloomed, he collected a harvest from the bush - green berries the size of a hazelnut. These fruits turned out to be 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 tasty, but they were eating them from the wrong end.
The agronomist who discovered that potatoes are tasty and nutritious, and not at all poisonous, is Antoine-Auguste Parmentier.
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 distribute 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 fruits and refused to plant this overseas plant.
In Russia, potatoes took root with difficulty. Then the ruler was Nicholas 1, nicknamed Palkin. Under him, guilty soldiers were beaten to death with sticks. He decided to plant potatoes with a stick. People believed rumors that potatoes were “damn apples” and brought evil. “Potato riots” broke out. The rebels were beaten with rods and even exiled to Siberia for disobedience.
But time passed, and potatoes turned from an unwanted “guest” into a full-fledged master on the table, becoming the second bread for both Russia and the whole of Europe. You can prepare excellent dishes from potatoes: boiled potatoes, fried, baked, mashed potatoes, potato casseroles, pancakes, potato pies, dumplings, etc.
In each country, potatoes are called differently. The English are potatos. The Dutch - hardapel (translated as “earth apple”). The French - pom de terre (“earth apple”). Italians - tartufel. The Germans are potatoes. Russians love potatoes. That's how many names potatoes have!
Potato dishes
Biology of potatoes.
POTATOES are a perennial (in cultivation – annual) plant of the nightshade family, which is grown for its edible tubers. There are mainly two closely related species - the Andean potato, which has long been cultivated in South America, and the Chilean potato, or tuberous potato, widespread in countries with temperate climates.
There are edible sweet potatoes, or yams. 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 most important source of calories in the modern human diet after wheat, corn, rice and barley. The leading potato producers are Russia, China, Poland, the USA and India.
Tuberous potato is a herbaceous plant, erect when young, but lies down after flowering. Stems are 0.5–1.5 m long, usually with 6–8 large pubescent leaves. Modified shoots (stolons) extend underground from the tuber. Tubers form at their ends. The root system penetrates to a depth of 1.5 m. Flowers (yellow, purple or blue) are formed in 6-12 inflorescences. Pollination by wind or insects, self-pollination is widespread. The fruit is a spherical berry, purple when ripe, containing up to 300 seeds. The seeds are flat, yellow or brown, very small. The tubers have a spherical or oblong shape; those that have reached a length of 8–13 cm are usually eaten. Their external color is white, yellow, pink, red or blue; the inside is more or less white. On the surface of the tuber lie the so-called. eyes bearing 3–4 buds. The formation of tubers begins just before flowering and ends at the end of the growing season. There are large reserves of starch inside the tuber.
Potatoes are propagated vegetatively - by tubers. Germination of tuber buds in the soil begins at 5-8°C (the optimal temperature for potato germination is 15-20°C). The best soils for potatoes are chernozems, sod-podzolic soils, gray forest soils, and drained peat bogs.
Non-standard ways of growing potatoes.
There are a great variety of 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 film. The choice of technology depends, firstly, on the soil. Where groundwater is close and in low areas, it is better to prefer planting on ridges. In dry places - in trenches or separate holes.
To harvest an early potato harvest, the tubers are planted under black non-woven material. The area is dug up, fertilizer is applied, leveled with a rake and covered with black film, securing the edges. Then you need to make cross-shaped cuts in it, dig holes with a depth of 10–12 cm with a scoop and place the tubers in them. This method will protect potatoes from frost, retain moisture in the soil, avoid weed control and, finally, get a harvest almost a month earlier. This is how early potato varieties are grown. During harvesting, the tops are cut off, the film is removed, and the tubers are collected almost from the surface of the soil.
There is another interesting way to intensively grow potatoes - in a barrel. You need to take a tall, preferably without a bottom, barrel (iron, plastic, wooden, wicker). Make holes around the circumference so that water does not stagnate and the soil can breathe. Place several potatoes at the bottom of the container in a circle or in a checkerboard pattern and cover with a layer of soil. When the seedlings reach 2–3 cm, cover them again with soil. And so on several times until the barrel is filled to about a meter in height. The main thing is not to let the sprouts hatch completely, that is, to form the green part. In this case, the root system will stop developing and a thick stem will stretch all the way to the surface of the earth. The soil in the container needs to be regularly fed and watered well, especially in hot, dry weather. As a result, a bag or more of potatoes can be grown in a container with a volume of about one cubic meter.
Interesting Facts.
There is a potato museum in Belgium. Among its exhibits are thousands of items telling the history of the potato, from postage stamps with its image to famous paintings on the same subject (Van Gogh's The Potato Eaters).
On some tropical islands, potatoes were used as money.
Poems and ballads were dedicated to potatoes.
Potatoes were once glorified in his music by the great Johann Sebastian Bach.
There are two rare varieties in which the color of the peel and pulp remains blue even after cooking.
Different varieties of potatoes.
One of the most common varieties with bluish skin grown in Russian gardens is “sineglazka”. However, few people know that it is scientifically called “Hannibal”, in honor of Alexander Pushkin’s great-grandfather Abram Hannibal, who was the first to conduct experiments on the selection and storage of potatoes in Russia.
A monument to potatoes was opened in the city of Minsk in the 2000s. They will open soon in Mariinsk (Kemerovo region).
In Ireland, a gardener spent a long time caring for a plant that his owner brought from America. After the potatoes had flowered, he collected a harvest from the bush - green berries the size of a hazelnut. These fruits turned out to be 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 tasty, but they were eating 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 whether it is possible to get identical plants by planting potatoes with whole tubers or halves.
Research objectives:
Find information in literature, the Internet, TV shows, and videos.
Prepare the container and soil for planting.
Sprout the potatoes in a warm place and then plant them in the soil.
Place the planted potatoes with whole tubers and halves of tubers in different conditions:
1. additional lighting + heat (control plant);
2. without lighting + heat;
3. without additional lighting + reduced temperature;
When the potatoes begin to sprout, record the results in an observation diary.
Take measurements, take photographs, write down your thoughts and assumptions in an observation diary.
Based on the results obtained, draw up a table, then build a graph and draw conclusions, and, if possible, make recommendations.
Experiment scheme.
06.01.09 – planted potatoes with whole tubers.
02/06/09 – completed the experiment.
01/06/09 – planted potatoes in halves.
02/06/09 – completed the experiment.
Conditions for conducting the experiment.
III. Methodology for conducting the experiment.
When I did not yet go to school and spent a lot of time with my grandmother, in the village, I noticed that she plants potatoes in the garden and whole tubers, and cuts them in half if the potatoes are large.
While 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 based on my assumption after observations.
At the end of December, I selected healthy potato tubers and placed them in a warm, dark place to sprout.
01/06/09 – planted them in prepared soil and placed them in selected places. These are the three options I mentioned earlier.
Watered the plant every 2 days.
I planted the germinated tubers.
10.01 – the first sprout appeared in V. 2.
13.01 – sprouts appeared in V. 1 and V. 3.
First shoots.
Every 5 days I measured the height of all plants and recorded them in a table. The difference in plant height became more and more noticeable. Plant B. 2. “rushed forward” and “lead” until the end of the experiment, gaining a height of 62 cm.
This didn't surprise me. The plant stood in a dark place. I assumed that it would grow faster, “look for the light,” reach for it. Plant B. 3. grows more slowly. It lacks light and the cold slows down its growth. V. 1 is in favorable conditions and grows almost like in a garden.
First shoots. After 10 days.
As a result of observations, it became noticeable that both the color and thickness of the plant stems were different in the three variants. Leaves appear at different times, they have different colors and their color changes depending on growth.
So, in Option 1, the stems and leaves are “strong” and large. They immediately turned green and remained that way until the end of cultivation. This is understandable because the plant received enough light. The leaves of any plant contain a coloring substance (chlorophyll), which appears in the presence of heat and light. This plant is similar to those that grow in the garden.
In Option 2 - throughout the entire 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, and did not produce chlorophyll. It is the highest, but weak.
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 ranks 2nd in development.
Every plant needs water to grow. I noticed that the plant needed to be watered more often if it was kept warm with additional lighting. This means that the moisture evaporated faster here. Potatoes that were in a dark place were watered less often than others.
Potato plants planted with whole tubers and halves do not differ in their development and appearance.
IV. Processing of received data.
On 02/06/09 the last measurements were taken and the results were entered into 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
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 clearly see the results of potato growth, you can build a graph.
Results of measuring the height of potato sprouts planted in halves.
Schedule No. 2
V. Conclusion.
1. Potato plants can be grown at home during the polar night.
2. Based on the results of observations and measurements, it can be seen that a plant placed in a warm place without constant lighting grew taller than others. It is tall, but very pale and weak. The leaves are small yellowish. The plant was drawn to the light, all its strength went into growth, and not into its development. Plant height 62 cm.
Option 2
The most beautiful and developed plant is one placed in a warm place with additional lighting. This potato spent its nutrition on development: the stem and leaves are green and large.
Plant height 42 cm.
Option 1
3. A plant grown in a cool place without constant light is light green, slightly elongated, the stem is thin, the leaves are small and very light. It did not receive enough light and heat.
Plant height 25 cm.
4. For better development of potato plants in indoor conditions, you need:
Additional lighting with fluorescent lamps;
Regular watering; Option 3
5. Plants planted with whole tubers and halves do not differ in growth. We can conclude that it is more profitable to plant tubers cut into pieces in the garden. It will be more economical this way. It’s better to use the remaining potatoes for food and cook something tasty.
6. A plant grown with your own hands brings great joy. It becomes like a friend. Every day you meet with it, take care of it, you can talk (by the way, then it will grow better).
I haven't finished my work. Spring is coming, I still want to see if it will bloom, and maybe small tubers will appear.
There are many more different experiments that can be carried out with plants, and maybe next year I will continue to work in this direction.
I have achieved my goal.
This is how the potatoes grew during the experiment.
Where did he come from? How and when did it become an essential food product?
The potatoes, one might say, were opened three times.
The first discovery in time immemorial was made by the Indians, the second in the 16th century by the Spaniards, and the third by Russian scientists in the 20s of the current century.First, a few words about the “third discovery”. Studying the plant resources of the globe, Academician N.I. Vavilov suggested that in Latin America there should be a huge natural “breeding warehouse” of potatoes. On his initiative, an expedition consisting of SM scientists was sent there in 1925. Bukasov and S.V. Yuzenchuk (do not forget what a difficult time it was for our country). The two of them visited Mexico, and then went their separate ways: Bukasov to Guatemala and Colombia, and Yuzenchuk to Peru, Bolivia and Chile. In these countries, they studied and described the types of potatoes growing there.
And the result is an unusual botanical and breeding discovery. Before this, Europeans knew only one species of this plant - Solyanum tuberosum, and two Russian scientists found and described in America more than 60 wild and 20 cultivated species of potatoes that fed the Indians for many centuries. Among the species they discovered, there were many interesting for breeding for resistance against dangerous potato diseases - late blight, cancer and others; cold-resistant, early ripening, etc.
Following in the footsteps of the Soviet “pioneers”, numerous, well-equipped expeditions from the USA, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and England rushed to South America. Experts from Peru, Uruguay, and Chile began to search and find new types and varieties of potatoes in their mountains.
Breeders from all developed countries are now using the “gold mine” discovered by scientists from Leningrad.
The ancient Indians of South America, even before the advent of agriculture, used, as archaeologists have established, tubers of wild potatoes for food, probably digging them up in areas of continuous thickets. Unwittingly loosening the soil at the same time, people could notice that potatoes grow better in such soil and their tubers are larger. They probably noticed that new plants grow from both old tubers and seeds. From here it was not difficult to come to the idea of \u200b\u200bthe possibility of growing this plant near their sites. So they began to do so. Scientists believe that this happened in the mountainous regions of South America 2 or even more thousand years BC.
Wild forms of potatoes had small tubers with varying degrees of bitterness. Naturally, among them people chose plants with larger and less bitter tubers. Cultivated areas near settlements were unknowingly fertilized with household waste. Selection of the best species from wild ones and cultivation in loosened and fertilized soil led to an increase in the quality of tubers.
A major expert on the history of potatoes, V.S. Lekhnovich, believes that two centers for potato cultivation arose in America. One is on the coast of Chile with adjacent islands and the other is in the mountainous regions of the Andes, in the territory of modern Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and northwestern Argentina.
Before using tubers for food, the Indians of the mountain regions use special processing techniques to remove the bitterness: they lay them out in the open, where the tubers freeze at night, thaw and dry during the day (in mountainous conditions, as is known, cold nights give way to sunny, windy days). After standing for a certain period of time, they are trampled on to squeeze out the moisture, while the skin is peeled off from them. Then the tubers are thoroughly washed in running water from mountain streams and finally dried. Potatoes prepared in this way, the so-called “chuño,” no longer have any bitterness. It can be stored for a long time. “Chunyo” often saved the Indians from starvation and also served as an object of exchange with the inhabitants of the lowlands.
Potatoes were a staple food among the Indians of many South American tribes. Even before our era, highly developed Indian civilizations existed in the Andes, which created cultivated varieties of a number of plants, including potatoes. Subsequently, the great Inca Empire inherited from them farming techniques and a range of crops.
The first recorded acquaintance of Europeans with the potato plant occurred in 1535. This year, Julian de Castellanos, a member of the Spanish military expedition of Gonzalo de Quesado to South America, wrote about potatoes he saw in Colombia that the mealy roots of this plant have a pleasant taste, “a tasty dish even for the Spaniards.”
But this statement by Castellanos remained unknown for a long time. In Europe, they first learned about potatoes in 1533 from the book “Chronicle of Peru” by Sies de Lion, which he wrote after returning to Spain from Peru, saying, in particular, that the Indians call raw tubers “papa,” and dried ones “chuño.” Due to the external similarity of the tubers with previously known truffles, which form tuberous fruits in the ground, they were given the same name. In 1551, the Spaniard Valdivius reported to Emperor Charles about the presence of potatoes in Chile. Around 1565, potato tubers were brought to Spain and at the same time the Spanish king presented them to the sick Pope Pius IV, since potatoes were considered medicinal. From Spain, potatoes spread to Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Poland and other European countries. The British brought potatoes to themselves independently of the Spaniards.
Semi-legendary versions about the introduction of potatoes in European countries have spread.
In Germany, the cruel Prussian king Frederick William I at the beginning of the 18th century proclaimed the cultivation of potatoes as a national duty of the Germans and forced them to plant them with the help of dragoons. Here is how the German agronomist Ernst Duchek wrote about this: “... severe punishment was threatened for those who resisted, and sometimes it was necessary to threaten with cruel punishments, for example, cutting off noses and ears.” Other German authors also testified to similar cruel measures.
The history of the introduction of potatoes in France is particularly interesting. He was recognized there at the beginning of the 17th century. In Paris, potatoes appeared on the royal table in 1616. In 1630, an attempt was made to introduce this plant, encouraged by royalty. However, potatoes did not take root, perhaps because they did not yet know how to properly prepare dishes from their tubers, and doctors assured that they were poisonous and caused diseases. Changes came only after military pharmacist-chemist Antoine Parmentier intervened. While participating in the Seven Years' War, he was captured by the Germans. In Germany, Parmentier ate potatoes and during this time highly appreciated their merits. Returning to his homeland, he became a passionate promoter of this culture. Are potatoes considered poisonous? Parmentier organizes a dinner to which he invites the luminaries of science - the chemist Antoine Lavoisier and the Democratic politician Benjamin Franklin and treats them to potato dishes. The eminent guests acknowledged the good quality of the food, but for some reason they only expressed fear that the potatoes would spoil the soil.
Parmentier understood that nothing could be achieved by force and, knowing the shortcomings of his compatriots, he resorted to cunning. He asked King Louis XVI to give him a plot of land near Paris and, when necessary, to provide guards. The king responded favorably to the pharmacist's request, and he received 50 mortuaries of land. In 1787, Parmentier planted potatoes on it. It was solemnly announced to the sound of trumpets that any Frenchman who decided to steal a new precious plant would be subjected to severe punishment and even execution. When the potatoes began to ripen, during the day they were guarded by numerous armed guards, who, however, were taken to the barracks in the evening.
Parmentier's idea was a complete success. The intensely protected plants aroused the burning interest of Parisians. The brave souls began to steal the tubers at night and then plant them in their gardens.
In addition, Parmentier used, as they would say today, a publicity stunt. During one of the royal receptions, he brought potato flowers to the palace of Louis XVI and persuaded him to pin them on his chest, and the queen to decorate her hair with them. The king, in addition, ordered that potatoes be served to him for dinner. The courtiers naturally followed his example. There was a great demand for flowers and potato tubers, and peasants began to quickly expand their plantings. Soon this culture spread throughout the country. The French understood and recognized her valuable qualities. And in the lean year of 1793, potatoes saved many from starvation.
Grateful descendants erected two monuments to Parmentier: near Paris, on the site where that very “protected” site was, and in his homeland, in the city of Montdidier. On the pedestal of the second monument there is an inscription - “To the Benefactor of Humanity” and the words spoken by Louis XVI are carved: “Believe me, the time will come when France will thank you for giving bread to starving humanity.”
This interesting version of the merits of Antoine Parmentier in introducing potatoes is widespread in the literature. However, it was questioned by Academician P. M. Zhukovsky. In his major work “Cultivated Plants and Their Relatives,” he wrote: “Only at the end of the 18th century, when the later famous Vilmorin firm arose, were potatoes taken for propagation by this firm. The mistake that made Parmentier the alleged pioneer of potato culture must be corrected. Roger de Vilmorin (botanist, foreign member of the All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences - S.S.) has an irrefutable document on the priority of potato distribution.” It is quite possible that Academician P. M. Zhukovsky is right; however, it seems that Parmentier’s services in spreading this culture should also not be forgotten.
In his work “The Past and Thoughts” A.I. Herzen describes another version of the introduction of potatoes in France: “... the famous Turgot (Anne Robert Jacques Turgot - 1727-1781 - French statesman, educational philosopher and economist. - S.S ), seeing the hatred of the French for potatoes, sent potatoes to all farmers and other subordinates for sowing, strictly forbidding them to give to the peasants. At the same time, he secretly told them not to prevent the peasants from stealing potatoes for sowing. In a few years, part of France was covered with potatoes.”
The initial introduction of this wonderful plant to England is usually associated with the name of the English navigator, vice-admiral (at the same time a pirate) - Francis Drake. In 1584, on the site of the current US state of North Carolina, the English navigator, organizer of pirate expeditions, poet and historian Walter Raleigh founded a colony, calling it Virginia. In 1585, F. Drake, returning from South America, visited those places. The colonists greeted him with complaints about their hard life and asked him to take them back to England, which Drake did. They allegedly brought potato tubers to England.
However, academician P. M. Zhukovsky, in the work mentioned above, rejected the version of Drake’s import of potatoes. He wrote: “Many literary sources attribute to the English admiral Drake, who made a round-the-world voyage in 1587... the independent introduction of potatoes to England; the reintroduction into England is attributed to Coverdish, who repeated Drake's voyage.
It is highly doubtful, however, that these sailors could keep the tubers healthy and unsprouted during the many months of travel in the tropical latitudes of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Most likely, potatoes came to England and especially Ireland from other sources.”
But Drake made a trip around the world in 1577-1580, and he took colonists from Virginia, located on the east coast of North America, in 1585. It is quite obvious that this was already another Drake flight to America, and he returned from there to England directly across the Atlantic Ocean. This flight was incomparably shorter and completed much faster than the round-the-world trip of 1577-1580.
All this does not at all exclude the possibility of importing potatoes to England through other routes. It is possible that it was brought there by unknown English pirates, who in those days often robbed Spanish ships returning from America. Or maybe the British brought potatoes from the European continent, where they had already become widespread.
By the way, a number of books about potatoes often give an interesting semi-legendary version that it was Drake who showed the British an example of growing potatoes.
Here, for example, is what the German author K. E. Putsch writes about this in his book “Description of potatoes with a detailed account of the history of them, different breeds and methods of cultivation and use on the farm”: “Drake (Drake. - S. S), wanting to grow potatoes in England, he not only delivered several seed cones to the famous English botanist Ion Gerard, he also gave his gardener some of them with the order to plant this precious fruit in his garden in fertile soil and have careful supervision over it. This assignment aroused such curiosity in the gardener that he looked after it very diligently. Soon the potato plant sprouted, blossomed and brought a lot of green seed blocks, which the gardener, honoring the plant’s own fruit and seeing that it was already ripe, picked it and tasted it, but finding it unpleasant, threw it away, saying with annoyance: “All my labors.” wasted in vain over such a useless plant.” He brought several of these apples to the admiral and said mockingly: “This is the vaunted precious fruit from America.”
The admiral answered with hidden indignation: “Yes, but if this plant is unsuitable, then pull it out now, along with the roots, so that it does not cause any harm in the garden.” The gardener carried out the order and, to his surprise, found under each bush many potatoes exactly the same as those he had planted in the spring. Immediately, by order of the admiral, the potatoes were boiled and given to the gardener to taste. "A! - he cried in surprise. “No, it’s a shame to destroy such a precious plant!” And after that I tried my best to deceive him.
It is assumed that Drake gave a certain number of tubers to the English botanist John Gerard, who, in turn, in 1589 sent several tubers to his friend, the naturalist botanist Charles Clusius, who at that time was in charge of the botanical garden in Vienna. According to another version, in the same year, Clusius was given two tubers and a potato berry by the mayor of the small Belgian town of Mons, Philippe de Sivry. It can be assumed that one does not exclude the other. Clusius was at one time an outstanding botanist, and it is known that it was with his participation that the wide distribution of this plant in Europe began.
At first, potatoes in England were considered only a delicacy and were sold at an expensive price. Only in the middle of the 18th century did it begin to be grown over large areas, becoming a common food crop. It especially took root in Ireland, which at that time was a colony of England. For most Irish people, potatoes became a staple food earlier than for the British. It was eaten with herring, or even just with salt - for many Irish families, even herring was too expensive a delicacy.
In different countries, potatoes were called differently. In Spain - “papa”, having adopted this word from the Indians, in Italy - for the similarity of the tubers with truffle mushrooms - “tartuffoli” (hence - “potato”). The British called it “Irish yam” in contrast to the real “sweet yam”, the French called it “pomme de terre” - earthen apple. In various other languages - “poteitos”, “potates”, “putatis”.
The first scientific botanical descriptions of potatoes were made by botanists John Gerard in England in 1596 and 1597, Charles Clusius in Flanders in 1601, and Caspar Baugin in Switzerland in 1596, 1598, 1620. The latter in 1596 gave the potato a botanical Latin name, which was later recognized internationally - Solyanum tuberosum esculentum - edible tuberous nightshade.
Potatoes came to Russia more than a century after their first import to Spain.
A written message about the import of potatoes to Russia appeared in the “Proceedings of the Free Economic Society” in 1852. An untitled review of the book “Potatoes in Agriculture and Manufacturing,” published in 1851, said: “It should be noted that even the Great Peter sent a bag of potatoes from Rotterdam to Sheremetev and ordered the potatoes to be sent to different regions of Russia, to local commanders, charging them with the duty to invite the Russians to start breeding it; and at the table of Prince Biron during the reign of Empress Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740), potatoes often appeared as tasty, but not at all as a rare and tasty dish.”
It is assumed that this review was written by St. Petersburg University professor S. M. Usov, a well-known figure in the field of agriculture at that time. Judging by the text, the author knew perfectly well all the dates of the introduction of this culture into European countries and, obviously, should have known the episode described. Since then, this version of the first appearance of potatoes in Russia has been repeated in many articles and books devoted to this culture, and was included in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, that is, it became generally accepted.
However, it is by no means impossible that the way of bringing potatoes to Russia with the assistance of Peter was not the only one.
One way or another, it is known that potatoes were grown in the Aptekarsky garden in St. Petersburg in 1736. Under the name “tartufel” it was served in very small quantities at court ceremonial dinners in the early 40s. So, for the banquet on June 23, 1741, half a pound was allotted to the “tartuffel”; August 12 of the same year - a pound and a quarter; officers of the Semenovsky regiment for a festive dinner - a quarter of a pound (one hundred grams!). Don't believe it? But this is from the reports of the palace office.
It is likely that at the same time or even earlier, potatoes appeared on the tables of the St. Petersburg aristocracy. It is possible that for court banquets it was obtained from the Aptekarsky garden, and for the tables of the aristocracy it was grown in gardens near St. Petersburg or imported from the Baltic states, where at that time there was already developed potato growing.
It is documented that in 1676, Duke of Courland Jacob ordered one loaf (about 50 kilograms) of potatoes from Hamburg to the capital of Courland, Mitava (modern Jelgava in the Latvian SSR). It can be assumed that these potatoes were then grown in those parts.
The famous Russian agronomist, scientist and writer A. T. Bolotov participated in the actions of the Russian army in East Prussia during the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1762). In the magazine “Economic Store” in 1787, he reported that in Prussia the participants in the campaign became acquainted with potatoes and, returning, many took its tubers to their homeland. He wrote: “In Russia, before the last Prussian War, this fruit (potatoes - S.S.) was almost completely unknown; upon the return of the troops, who were accustomed to eating it in the Prussian and Brandenburg countries, it soon appeared in different places and began to become famous, but now it is everywhere, but even in the most remote regions, such as, for example, in Kamchatka itself, it is not unknown.”
However, in general, until 1765, this crop in Russia was grown on insignificant areas by gardeners in cities and on landowners' estates. The peasants hardly knew him.
It so happened that the initiator of the mass introduction of potatoes was the Medical College (colleges are central institutions of the 18th century that were in charge of individual industries, later transformed into ministries). In its report to the Senate (the highest body for legislation and public administration in Russia from 1711 to 1717), this institution reported that in the Vyborg province, due to the shortage of grain, peasants often starve and on this basis a “pestilence” could arise, and recommended that the Senate take measures to breed “earth apples” in our country, “which in England are called potetes.” We must pay tribute to Empress Catherine II - she supported this proposal. As a result of January 19, 1765, the first Decree on the introduction of potatoes was issued. At the same time, 500 rubles were allocated for the purchase of potato seeds and the Medical College was asked to purchase potatoes and scatter them throughout the country, which they did.
In the same 1765, at the direction of the Senate, the Medical College developed an “Instruction” on growing potatoes, printed in the Senate printing house in the amount of ten thousand copies and sent with the Decree to all provinces. “The manual was a relatively competent agrotechnical and economic instruction, which spoke about the time of planting tubers, “about preparing the land,” “about cleansing ridges and arable land,” “about the time of removing apples from the ground and preserving them in winter,” and further on various types of use potatoes.
In December 1765, a similar “Instruction” on the storage of tubers was sent out. These first Russian printed manuals played a big role in the development of potato growing.
In the fall of 1765, the Medical College purchased potatoes from England and Germany. In total, 464 poods 33 pounds were brought to St. Petersburg. From the capital he was sent by sleigh convoys to 15 provinces - from St. Petersburg to Astrakhan and Irkutsk. However, during transportation, despite the careful insulation of barrels with potatoes with hay and straw, a significant part of the tubers being sent froze. Nevertheless, the Senate again allocated 500 rubles to the Medical College for the purchase of seed potatoes the following year, 1766. From these purchases, potatoes have already been sent to such distant cities as Irkutsk, Yakutsk, Okhotsk, and Kamchatka.
The distributed tubers were successfully propagated in many places.
The report of the St. Petersburg provincial chancellery, presented to the Senate, on the results of potato propagation in this province in 1765 is interesting. It shows that Catherine’s nobles also took up potato cultivation: Razumovsky, Hannibal, Vorontsov, Bruce and others.
In total, from 1765 to 1767, the Governing Senate considered issues related to the introduction of potatoes 23 times, and from then on this crop began to be intensively distributed in Russia.
The activities of the Free Economic Society had a great influence on the development of potato growing. Almost every issue of his “Proceedings” contained articles about potatoes, gave agronomic advice on their cultivation, and summarized the results. The society was also involved in the distribution of seed potatoes.
The Free Economic Society, in essence, soon became the main organization that took upon itself exceptionally great care in introducing the “second bread”.
The most active member of the Society, A. T. Bolotov, made a great contribution to this matter. In 1787 alone, he published five articles about potatoes, and his first article about them appeared in 1770 - 17 years earlier than Parmentier began his activities in distributing potatoes in France.
In an article by a certain F. Eastis, “The History of Potato Breeding in Russia,” published in the magazine of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1848, we read: “... the Novgorod region was especially distinguished, owing to these efforts of an active member of the Free Economic Society - the governor, Major General von Sievers. In 1765, by decree of the Empress, four quadrangles of reddish and oblong potatoes were delivered to this province for cultivation; half of this amount was used for sowing for the city, the other for the counties. From those planted in the city, 172 chetveriks were born (Russian measure of volume - chetverik is equal to 26.24 liters. - S.S.).”
Sivere ordered two more varieties of white and reddish potatoes from Livonia (southern Baltic states). According to him, “In 1775, potatoes began to come into use among peasants, who ate them either boiled as a special dish or mixed with cabbage soup.”
“Regarding Moscow and its environs,” wrote F. Eastis, “the merits of Roger, who was in charge of the manor of State Chancellor Count Rumyantsev there; its actions take place between 1800 and 1815. He invited the peasants under his jurisdiction and distributed it to them for this purpose from the very beginning of his administration; but the peasants, due to prejudice against this fruit, did not immediately follow the invitation; when they were subsequently convinced of the good taste and benefits of potatoes, then, instead of honestly and openly asking for them from the manager, they began, driven by shame, to steal them from the master’s fields on the sly. Having learned that the peasants used stolen potatoes not for food, but for sowing, Roger again began to distribute to them annually a significant part of his own harvest, which greatly contributed to the introduction and distribution of potatoes throughout the Moscow province.”
With the help of the Free Economic Society, the talented breeder-nugget, St. Petersburg gardener and seed grower E. A. Grachev, launched his activities. He demonstrated the varieties of corn and potatoes he developed at world exhibitions in Vienna, Cologne, and Philadelphia. For the development of vegetable growing, he was awarded ten gold and forty silver medals, and was elected a member of the Paris Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Grachev brought dozens of different varieties of potatoes from Germany, the USA, England and other countries. On his plot near St. Petersburg, he planted and comprehensively tested more than two hundred varieties. He intensively propagated and distributed the best of them throughout Russia. The history of the Early Rose variety is interesting. Grachev managed to acquire only two tubers of this American variety. Thanks to the tireless work of the gardener, they laid the foundation for the unprecedented cultivation of the Early Rose in Russia, which remained in the crops until the fifties of the 20th century. It is still grown in some places in Central Asia and Ukraine. To date, over twenty synonyms of the Early Rose variety have appeared: Early Pink, American, Skorospelka, Skorobezhka, Belotsvetka and others.
But Grachev was not only engaged in the acquisition, reproduction and distribution of tubers. He himself bred about twenty varieties from seeds by cross-pollination of flowers, some of which at one time had significant distribution. They differed in the color of the tubers - white, red, yellow, pink, purple, in shape - round, long, cone-shaped, smooth and with deep eyes, and in resistance to fungal diseases. The names of most of these varieties are associated with the name of Grachev: Grachev's Trophy, Grachev's Triumph, Grachev's Rarity, Grachev's light pink, etc. But the following are also known: Suvorov, Progress, Professor A.F. Batalia and others. After the death of Efim Andreevich, his business was continued for some time by his son V. E. Grachev. In 1881, at the exhibition of the Free Economic Society, he demonstrated 93 varieties of potatoes.
Of the varieties imported from abroad and propagated by Grachev, as well as those bred by him, food varieties were famous and were significantly widespread - Early Rose, Peach Blossom, Snowflake, Early Vermont and distilled ones with a starch content (27-33 percent) - Alcohol with purple flowers , Alcohol with white flowers, Light pink, Efilos.
Government and public events were doing their job: the area under potato planting in Russia was steadily expanding.
However, things did not go smoothly everywhere. The Old Believers, of whom there were many in Russia, opposed planting and eating potatoes. They called it “the devil’s apple,” “the devil’s spit,” and “the fruit of harlots.” Their preachers forbade their fellow believers to grow and eat potatoes. The confrontation between the Old Believers was long and stubborn. Back in 1870, there were villages near Moscow where peasants did not plant potatoes in their fields.
History includes mass unrest among peasants called “potato riots.” These unrest lasted from 1840 to 1844 and covered the Perm, Orenburg, Vyatka, Kazan and Saratov provinces.
The “revolts” were preceded by a large shortage of grain in 1839, which covered all areas of the black earth strip. In 1840, information began to arrive in St. Petersburg that winter crop seedlings had died almost everywhere, famine had begun, crowds of people were walking along the roads, robbing passers-by and attacking landowners, demanding bread. Then the government of Nicholas I decided to expand potato planting without fail. The issued decree ordered: “... to begin growing potatoes in all villages that have public arable land. Where there is no public arable land, potato planting should be done under the authority of the Volost Board, albeit on one dessiatine.” It was envisaged that potatoes would be distributed freely or at low prices to peasants for planting. Along with this, an unquestioning demand was put forward to plant potatoes in order to obtain 4 measures per capita from the harvest.
It would seem that the event itself was good, but, as often happened during the reign of Nicholas I, it was accompanied by violence against the peasants. Ultimately, the riots against serfdom generally merged with indignation against the harsh introduction of potatoes. It is characteristic that this movement did not capture all the peasants, but mainly the appanages. It was their rights that were most infringed upon by the “reforms” of Nicholas I in the late thirties of the 19th century, and it was they who were subject to new duties. At the same time, an order was given to state peasants to grow potatoes on plots in the volosts free of charge. This was perceived by the state peasants as turning them into serfdom from the Minister of Agriculture, Count Kiselyov. Therefore, it was not the potato itself, but the administrative measures of tsarist officials to expand its plantings, associated with oppression and abuse, that caused the riots. It is possible that the situation was heated by rumors started by someone about the introduction of a “new faith.” It is significant that the main areas covered by the “potato riots” were located exactly where there had previously been a peasant uprising led by Pugachev.
Peasant uprisings suffered defeats everywhere.
For a long time, turnips were another staple food for the common people in Russia. But gradually interest in potatoes increased.
The area under potato planting began to grow especially quickly after the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Russia's entry into the era of capitalist relations entailed the development of industry, including the branch that processed tubers. One after another, starch and distillery enterprises began to be built - and soon there were already hundreds of them. Landowners, factory owners and individual peasants began to grow potatoes in their fields. In 1865, the area occupied by this crop amounted to 655 thousand hectares, in 1881 they exceeded 1.5 million hectares, in 1900 they reached 2.7, and in 1913 - 4.2 million hectares.
Potato yields, however, remained low. Thus, the average yield in the country for 1895-1915 was only 59 centners per hectare.
Before the revolution in Russia, experimental work with potatoes was insignificant: experimental fields were maintained mainly at the expense of private individuals, research was carried out by single amateurs. Only in 1918-1920 did specialized institutions begin to be created: the Kostroma Experimental Field, Butylitskoye (Vladimir Region), the Polushkinskoye Sand and Potato Experimental Field and the Korenevskaya Potato Experimental Breeding Station (Moscow Region).
Hero of Socialist Labor Alexander Georgievich Lorch (1889-1980) is rightfully considered the founder and organizer of selection and seed production work on potatoes. On his initiative, the Korenev Experimental Station was created, reorganized in 1930 into the Research Institute of Potato Farming, of which he remained the scientific director for a long time. A.G. Lorch created the first Soviet potato varieties - Korenevsky and Lorch. The latter can rightfully be considered the pride of Soviet selection. It is characterized by high yield, good taste, keeping quality and plasticity. It has supplanted most foreign varieties and, until recently, had no equal in popularity throughout the world. In 1942, this variety produced a world record harvest on the Krasny Perekop collective farm in the Mariinsky district of the Kemerovo region - 1,331 centners per hectare.
Fundamental research on taxonomy, selection, genetics, seed production and agricultural technology of potatoes was carried out by a prominent biologist, academician of the All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hero of Socialist Labor Sergei Mikhailovich Bukasov. He developed cancer-resistant varieties of this plant.
The founder of potato breeding work in Belarus, Hero of Socialist Labor, academician of the All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences and academician of the Academy of Sciences of the BSSR, Petr Ivanovich Alsmik, is the author of the famous varieties - Loshitsky, Temp, Razvaristy, Belarusian starchy, Verba.
In 1986, the average potato yield in the USSR was 137 centners per hectare. But this is still lower than in some countries, such as the Netherlands, Denmark, England and Switzerland, where the climatic conditions for growing this crop are incomparably better. However, today in our country there are many collective and state farms that receive stable yields of 200-300 centners per hectare.
Currently, potatoes are grown in Europe on an area of about 7 million hectares.
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 the gastronomic and taste qualities of the product, he ordered the delivery of a bag of tubers to Russia for planting and cultivation.
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In Russia, potatoes took root very well, but Russian peasants were afraid of the 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 go to bed at night. The temptation was great; peasants from nearby villages could not resist and stole potatoes, which had become a sweet forbidden fruit for them, from the sown fields to plant on their plots.
At first, cases of potato poisoning were often recorded, but this was usually due to the inability of peasants to eat potatoes correctly. The peasants ate potato fruits, berries resembling small tomatoes, which, as is known, are not suitable for food and are even poisonous.
Of course, this did not become an obstacle to the spread of potatoes in Russia, where it gained enormous popularity and many times saved a significant part of the population from starvation during grain crop failures. It’s not for nothing that in Rus' potatoes were called the second bread. And, of course, the name of the potato speaks very eloquently about its nutritional properties: it comes from the German words “Kraft Teufel”, which means “devilish power”.
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“Potatoes have weak, unbalanced, uncertain energy, the energy of doubt. The body becomes sluggish, lazy, sour. The solid energy of potatoes is called starch, which is not amenable to alkaline-acid treatment in the body, is poorly excreted from the body, sharply reduces the speed of thought, and blocks the immune system. Potatoes cannot be combined with any products. If you have it, then separately, it is advisable to cook it in its uniform. In the peel and immediately underneath there is a substance that helps break down starch.
There were never potatoes in Rus'; they were brought by the “dark” and cultivated by force. Gradually, they brought it out and designated it in people’s thoughts as the main vegetable, which greatly harmed the human body. Today this is the most important vegetable product on the table, it is considered the second bread, and healthy vegetables have been relegated to the secondary category.
We ask you to under no circumstances eat potatoes to 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, after which they become poisonous. Replace potatoes with turnips. It is no coincidence that they are trying to completely remove turnips from food.”
(from the book “Knowledge stored by dolmens”, A. Savrasov)
Also, everyone who is interested in healthy eating knows that potatoes are a very mucus-forming product, and mucus is practically not removed from the body, but is deposited, causing many diseases (“traditional” medicine, of course, knows nothing about this)).
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There was a time when Russian Old Believers considered potatoes a devilish temptation. Of course, this foreign root crop was forcibly introduced into Russian soil! The clergy, anathematizing it, dubbed it “the devil’s apple.” Saying a good word about potatoes, especially 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.
Potatoes were first brought to Europe after the conquest of Peru by the Spaniards, who spread them throughout the Netherlands, Burgundy and Italy.
There is no exact information about the appearance of potatoes in Russia, but it is associated with the era of Peter the Great. 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. To speed up the spread of potatoes, the Senate considered the introduction of potatoes 23 TIMES in 1755-66 alone!
In the first half of the 18th century. Potatoes were grown in significant quantities by “particular people” (probably foreigners and people of the upper classes). Measures for the widespread cultivation of potatoes were first taken under Catherine II, at the initiative of the Medical College, whose president at that time was Baron Alexander Cherkasov. The matter was initially about finding funds to help the starving peasants of Finland “without great dependence.” On this occasion, the medical board reported to the Senate in 1765 that the best way to prevent this disaster “is in those earthen apples, which in England are called potetes, and in other places earthen pears, tartuffels and potatoes.”
At the same time, by order of the Empress, the Senate sent seeds to all parts of the empire and instructions on the development of potatoes and the care of 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; Potatoes were met with distrust by the mass of the population, and the crop was not grafted.
Only during the reign of Nicholas I, in view of what happened in 1839 and 1840. Due to the failure of the grain harvest in some provinces, the government took the most energetic measures to spread potato crops. The highest orders that followed in 1840 and 1842 decreed:
1) establish public potato crops in all state-owned villages to supply the peasants with this for future crops.
2) issue instructions on the cultivation, storage and consumption of potatoes.
3) encourage owners who excel in potato breeding with bonuses and other rewards.
The implementation of these measures was met with stubborn resistance from the population in many places.
Thus, in Irbitsky and neighboring districts of the Perm province of states, peasants somehow connected the idea of selling them to landowners with the order for public potato planting. A potato riot broke out (1842), which was expressed in the beating of village authorities and required the assistance of military teams to pacify it, which in one volost were even forced to use grapeshot;
In terms of the number of peasants participating in it and the vastness of the region it covered, this is the largest of the Russian unrest of the 19th century, which entailed reprisals, which were distinguished by the cruelty usual at that time.
Interesting fact:
The owner of the estate, General R.O. Gerngros, growing tubers since 1817, also gave them to peasants for seeds. However, crops on peasant plots turned out to be sparse. It turned out that the peasants, having planted the tubers, dug up and sold the “damned earth apples” for vodka at night in the nearest tavern. Then the general resorted to a trick: he gave out cut tubers rather than whole ones for seeds. Their peasants did not choose from the land and reaped a good harvest, and having convinced themselves of the convenience of potatoes, they began to grow them themselves.
In general, those who needed and benefited from the Russian people degrading achieved their goal and potatoes became our second bread.