Where did the potato come from in Europe. Where did the potato come from

Where did he come from? How and when did it become an essential food item?

Potatoes, one might say, were opened three times.

The first discovery in ancient times 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 plant resources the globe, Academician N. I. Vavilov suggested that in Latin America there should be a huge natural "selection warehouse" of potatoes. On his initiative, in 1925, an expedition consisting of SM researchers was sent there. Bukasov and S. V. Yuzenchuk (do not forget what it was hard times for our country). Together they visited Mexico, and then parted: 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 as a result - an unusual botanical and selection discovery. Before that, Europeans knew only one species of this plant - Solyanum tuberosum, and two Russian scientists found in America and described more than 60 wild and 20 cultivated species of potatoes that fed the Indians for many centuries. Among the species discovered by them, there were many interesting for breeding for resistance against dangerous potato diseases - phytophthora, cancer and others; cold-resistant, early maturing, etc.

Numerous, well-equipped expeditions from the USA, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and England rushed to South America in the footsteps of the Soviet "pioneers". Specialists from Peru, Uruguay, Chile began to search and find new types and varieties of potatoes in their mountains.

Breeders of 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 established by archaeologists, wild potato tubers for food, probably digging them in places of its continuous thickets. Unwittingly loosening the ground at the same time, people could notice that potatoes grow better on such soil and their tubers are larger. They must have noticed that new plants grow from both old tubers and seeds. From here it was not difficult to come to the idea of ​​the possibility of growing this plant near their sites. And so they began to do so. Scientists believe that this happened in the mountainous regions of South America for 2 or even more than a thousand years BC.

In wild forms of potatoes, the tubers were small and with varying degrees of bitterness. Naturally, among them, people chose plants with larger and less bitter tubers. Cultivated areas near settlements were unconsciously fertilized with household waste. Selection of the best species from wild plants, cultivation in loosened and fertilized soil led to an increase in the quality of tubers.

V. S. Lekhnovich, a great connoisseur of the history of potatoes, believes that two centers for the cultivation of potatoes have arisen in America. One - on the coast of Chile with adjacent islands and the other - in the mountainous regions of the Andes, on the territory of modern Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and northwestern Argentina.

The Indians of the mountain regions, before using tubers for food, use special methods of processing them to remove bitterness: they lay them out in an open place, where the tubers freeze at night, thaw and dry out during the day (in mountainous conditions, as you know, cold nights are replaced by sunny windy days). Having endured a certain period, they trample them to squeeze out moisture, while peeling them off. Then the tubers are thoroughly washed in running water mountain streams and finally dried. Potatoes prepared in this way, the so-called "chuno", no longer have bitterness. It can be stored for a long time. "Chuno" often saved the Indians from starvation and also served as an object of exchange with the inhabitants of the lowlands.

Potatoes were the staple food of the Indians of many South American tribes. Even before our era, highly developed Indian civilizations existed in the Andes, which created cultivars of a number of plants, including potatoes. Subsequently, the great Inca empire inherited from them farming techniques and a set 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 Gonzalo de Quesado to South America, wrote about a potato he saw in Colombia that the powdery roots of this plant good taste, "a tasty dish even for Spaniards".

But this statement of Castellanos remained unknown for a long time. In Europe, for the first time, they learned about potatoes in 1533 from the book “Chronicle of Peru” by Cies de Lyone, which he wrote after returning to Spain from Peru, saying, in particular, that raw tubers Indians call "papa", and dried - "chuno". According to the outward resemblance of the tubers to the previously known truffles, which form tuberous fruits in the ground, they were given the same name. On 8 1551, the Spaniard Valdivius reported to Emperor Charles about the presence of potatoes in Chile. Around 1565, potato tubers were brought to Spain and then presented by the Spanish king to the sick Pope Pius IV, as the potato was considered healing. 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 spread.

In Germany, the cruel Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm I at the beginning of the 18th century proclaimed the cultivation of potatoes 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 threatened those who resisted, and sometimes they had to threaten with cruel punishments, for example, cutting off noses and ears.” Other German authors testified to similar cruel measures.

Of particular interest is the history of the introduction of potatoes in France. He was recognized there as early as the beginning of the 17th century. In Paris, potatoes appeared on royal table in 1616. In 1630, an attempt was made, encouraged by the royal government, to introduce this plant. However, the potato did not take root in any way, perhaps because the dishes from its tubers did not yet know how to cook properly, and the doctors assured that it was poisonous and causes illness. Changes came only after Antoine Parmentier, a military pharmaceutical chemist, intervened. Participating in the seven-year 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 propagandist of this culture. Are potatoes considered poisonous? Parmentier arranges 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. Eminent guests recognized good quality food, but for some reason they only expressed the fear that the potatoes would spoil the soil.

Parmentier understood that nothing could be achieved by force and, knowing the shortcomings of his compatriots, went to the trick. He asked King Louis XVI to give him a plot of land near Paris and, when necessary, to allocate guards. The king favorably reacted to the request of the pharmacist, and he received 50 morgues of land. In 1787, Parmentier planted potatoes on it. Solemnly, to the sound of trumpets, it was announced that any Frenchman who dared 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 crowned with complete success. The heavily guarded plants aroused the burning interest of the Parisians. The daredevils began to steal tubers at night and then plant them in their gardens.

In addition, Parmentier applied, as they would say today, 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 suit. There was a great demand for flowers and potato tubers, and the peasants began to quickly expand their plantings. This culture soon spread throughout the country. The French understood and recognized its 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 the 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 Mankind" 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 mankind."

This interesting version of the merits of Antoine Parmentier's introduction of the potato is widely circulated in the literature. However, Academician P. M. Zhukovsky called it into question. In his major work “Cultivated Plants and Their Relatives,” he wrote: “Only at the end of the 18th century, when the then famous Vilmorin company arose, potatoes were taken for propagation by this company. The mistake that made Parmentier supposedly the pioneer of the potato culture must be corrected. Roger de Vilmorin (botanist, foreign member of VASKhNIL. - S. S.) has an irrefutable document on the priority of the spread of potatoes. It is quite possible that Academician P. M. Zhukovsky is right; however, it seems that the merits of Parmentier in the spread of this culture should not be forgotten either.

In his work “The Past and Thoughts”, A. I. Herzen describes another version of the introduction of potatoes in France: “... the famous Turgot (Ann Robert Jacques Turgot - 1727-1781 - French statesman, philosopher-educator and economist. - S. S. ), seeing the hatred of the French for potatoes, sent potatoes to all tax-farmers and other subject persons for sowing, strictly forbidding them to be given to peasants. At the same time, he told them secretly that they should not prevent the peasants from stealing potatoes for sowing. In a few years, part of France was sown with potatoes.

The initial importation 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 the hard life and asked to be taken 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 the importation of potatoes by Drake. He wrote: “Many literary sources attribute to the English admiral Drake, who made a round-the-world voyage in 1587 ... an independent introduction of potatoes to England; the reintroduction to England is attributed to Caverdish, who repeated Drake's voyage.

It is highly doubtful, however, that these navigators could keep the tubers healthy and unsprouted during many months of travel in the tropical latitudes of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It is most likely that potatoes came to England and especially to Ireland from other receipts.

But Drake made a round-the-world trip in 1577-1580, and he took the colonists from Virginia, located on the east coast North America, in 1585. It is quite obvious that this was already another Drake voyage 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 by no means excludes the possibility of bringing potatoes to England in other ways. It is possible that unknown English pirates brought it there, often robbing Spanish ships returning from America in those days. Or maybe the British brought potatoes from the European continent, where it has already become widespread.

By the way, in a number of books about potatoes, an interesting semi-legendary version is often given that it was Drake who showed the British an example of growing potatoes.

Here, for example, is what the German author K.E. wanting to breed potatoes in England, not only delivered a few seed cones to the famous English botanist Ion Gerard, he also gave his gardener a part of them with such an order that this precious fruit should be planted in his garden in fertile land and be carefully looked after. This assignment aroused such curiosity in the gardener that he looked after him very diligently. Soon the potato plant sprung up, blossomed, and produced many green seed pods, which the gardener, honoring the plant's own fruit and seeing that it was already ripe, plucked and tasted it, but finding it unpleasant, threw it away, saying with annoyance: “All my labors wasted over such a useless plant." He brought some of these apples to the admiral and mockingly said: "This is some vaunted precious fruit from America."

The admiral replied with hidden indignation: "Yes, but if this plant is unusable, then pull it out now, along with the root, 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 exclaimed in surprise. “No, it’s a pity to destroy such a precious plant!” And after that, he tried his best to break him up.

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, naturalist-botanist Charles Clusius, who at that time was in charge of the botanical garden in Vienna. According to another version, the mayor of the small Belgian town of Mons Philippe de Sivry handed over to Clusius in the same year two tubers and a potato berry. It can be assumed that one does not exclude the other. Clusius was once an outstanding major botanist, and it is known that it was with his participation that the widespread distribution of this plant in Europe began.

At first, potatoes in England were considered only a delicacy and were sold at a high price. Only in the middle of the 18th century did it begin to grow on large areas, becoming a common food crop. He especially took root in Ireland, which at that time was a colony of England. For most Irish, 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 named after themselves. In Spain - "dad", having adopted this word from the Indians, in Italy - for the similarity of tubers with truffle mushrooms - "tartuffoli" (hence - "potato"). The British called it "Irish sweet potato" in contrast to the real "sweet sweet potato", the French called it "pomme de terre" - an earthen apple. In various other languages ​​\u200b\u200b- "poteitos", "potates", "putatis".

The first scientific botanical descriptions of potatoes were made by the 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, later recognized internationally, - Solyanum tuberosum esculentum - edible tuberous nightshade.

Potato came to Russia more than a century after its first import to Spain.

A written message about the importation 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 Manufactory, published in 1851, said: “It should be noted that the Great Peter sent a sack of potatoes from Rotterdam to Sheremetev and ordered that potatoes be sent to different regions of Russia, to local chiefs, charging them with the duty to invite the Russians to breed 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 the named review was written by Professor of St. Petersburg University S. M. Usov, a well-known figure in the field at that time. Agriculture. Judging by the text, the author knew perfectly well all the dates of the introduction of this culture into European countries and, obviously, he should have known the episode being 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 entered the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, that is, it became generally accepted.

However, it is by no means excluded that the way of importing 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 Pharmaceutical Garden in St. Petersburg in 1736. Under the name "tartufel" it was served in very small quantities in the early 40s at court ceremonial dinners. So, for a banquet on June 23, 1741, half a pound was released to the "tartufel"; August 12 of the same year - a pound and a quarter; officers of the Semyonovsky regiment holiday dinner- a quarter of a pound (one hundred grams!). Can'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 the Duke of Courland Jacob ordered one sucker (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 of the campaign got acquainted with the potato and, returning, many took its tubers to their homeland. He wrote: “In Russia, until the last Prussian war, this fruit (potato. - S.S.) was almost not known at all; 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 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 landlord estates. The peasants hardly knew him.

It so happened that the Medical College was the initiator of the mass introduction of potatoes (colleges - the central institutions of the 18th century, 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 crop shortages, the peasants often go hungry and on this basis a “pestilence ulcer” may arise, and recommended to the Senate to take measures for the cultivation of "earth apples" in our country, "which in England are called pottes." 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 Board was asked to purchase potatoes and scatter them around the country, which they did.

In the same year, 1765, at the direction of the Senate, the Medical College developed a "Manual" on the cultivation of potatoes, printed in the Senate printing house in the amount of ten thousand copies and sent with the Decree to all provinces. “The instruction was a relatively competent agrotechnical and economic instruction, which spoke about the time of planting tubers, “about preparing the land”, “about cleaning the ridges and arable land”, “about the time of taking apples out of the ground and saving them in winter” and further on different types potato use.

In December 1765, a similar “Instruction” was sent out on the storage of tubers. These first Russian printed manuals played a big role in the development of potato growing.

In the autumn of 1765, the College of Medicine purchased potatoes from England and Germany. In total, 464 pounds 33 pounds were brought to St. Petersburg. From the capital he was sent by sledge to 15 provinces - from St. Petersburg to Astrakhan and Irkutsk. However, during transportation, despite the careful warming of barrels with potatoes, hay and straw, a significant part of the tubers sent out froze. Nevertheless, the Senate for the second time released 500 rubles to the Medical College for the purchase of seed potatoes in the next year, 1766. From these purchases, potatoes have already been sent to such distant cities as Irkutsk, Yakutsk, Okhotsk, and Kamchatka.

The tubers sent out have multiplied successfully 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 curious. It can be seen from it that Catherine's grandees also took up the cultivation of potatoes: 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 since then this crop has been intensively distributed in Russia.

The activity of the Free Economic Society had a great influence on the development of potato growing. Almost every issue of his "Proceedings" contained articles on potatoes, gave agronomic advice on growing them, 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, which took upon itself exceptionally great care for the introduction of "second bread".

A great contribution to this work was made by the most active member of the Society - A. T. Bolotov. In 1787 alone, he published five articles on potatoes, and his first article about him appeared in 1770 - 17 years earlier than Parmentier began his work on distributing potatoes in France.

In an article by a certain F. Istis “The History of Potato Cultivation in Russia”, published in the journal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1848, we read: “... Novgorodskaya was especially distinguished, due 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 quarters of reddish and oblong potatoes were delivered to this province for divorce; half of this amount was used for sowing for the city, the other for the counties. From the planted in the city, 172 quadruplets were born (the Russian measure of volume - the quadruple is equal to 26.24 liters. - S. S.) ”.

Sivere ordered two more varieties of white and reddish potatoes from Livonia (south of the Baltic states). According to him, “In 1775, the potato began to be used among the peasants, who ate it or boiled as special dish or mixing with cabbage soup.

“Regarding Moscow and its environs,” wrote F. Eastis, “the merits of Roger, who was in charge of the estate of the State Chancellor Count Rumyantsev, are remarkable; his actions are 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, out of prejudice against this fruit, did not immediately follow the invitation; when they later became convinced good taste and the benefits of potatoes, then, instead of honestly and openly asking for it from the manager, they began, driven by shame, to steal it from the master's fields on the sly. Having learned that the peasants did not use the stolen potatoes for food, but for sowing, Roger again began to distribute to them annually a significant part of his own collection, which greatly contributed to the establishment and distribution of potatoes in the Moscow province.

With the help of the Free Economic Society, a gifted breeder-nugget, a St. Petersburg gardener and seed grower E. A. Grachev launched his activities. He demonstrated the varieties of corn and potatoes he bred at world exhibitions in Vienna, Cologne, 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 potatoes. On his site near St. Petersburg, he planted and comprehensively tested more than two hundred varieties. The best of them he intensively propagated and distributed throughout Russia. The history of the early rose variety is interesting. Only two tubers of this american variety managed to acquire Grachev. 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 crops until the fifties of the XX century. In some places in Central Asia and in Ukraine it is grown even now. To date, more than twenty synonyms for the Early rose variety have appeared: Early pink, American, Early ripening, Skorobezhka, White flower and others.

But Grachev was engaged not only 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 a 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 surname 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 Yefim Andreevich, his work 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 the varieties bred by him, food varieties were famous and widely distributed - Early Rose, Peach Blossom, Snowflake, Early Vermont and distilleries with a starch content (27-33 percent) - Alcohol with purple flowers, Alcohol with white flowers, Light pink, Efilos.

Government and public events did their job: potato planting areas in Russia were steadily expanding.

However, things did not go smoothly everywhere. The Old Believers, of whom there were many in Russia, opposed the planting and eating of potatoes. They called it the "devil's apple", "the devil's spit" and "the fruit of harlots", their preachers forbade their co-religionists to grow and eat potatoes. The confrontation of the Old Believers was long and stubborn. Back in 1870, there were villages not far from Moscow where peasants did not plant potatoes in their fields.

Mass unrest of peasants called "potato riots" entered the history. These unrest lasted from 1840 to 1844 and covered the Perm, Orenburg, Vyatka, Kazan and Saratov provinces.

The "riots" were preceded by a large crop shortage in 1839, which covered all areas of the black earth belt. In 1840, information began to come to St. Petersburg that winter seedlings were almost everywhere killed, famine began, crowds of people walk along the roads, rob passers-by and attack landlords, demanding bread. Then the government of Nicholas I decided to expand the planting of potatoes without fail. The issued resolution ordered: “... start growing potatoes in all villages with public plowing. Where there are no public plowings, planting potatoes should be done under the Volost Board, although on one tithe. It was planned to distribute potatoes to peasants free of charge or at inexpensive prices for planting. Along with this, an unquestioning demand was put forward to plant potatoes at the rate of obtaining from the harvest 4 measures per capita.

It would seem that the event itself is good, but, as was often the case during the reign of Nicholas I, it was accompanied by violence against the peasants. In the end, the riots against serfdom generally merged with indignation against the hard introduction of potatoes. It is characteristic that this movement did not capture all the peasants, but mainly the appanage. It was their rights that were most infringed upon by the “reforms” of Nicholas I at the end of the thirties of the 19th century, and it was on them that new duties were imposed. Along with this, an order was given to state peasants to grow potatoes in plots near volosts free of charge. This was perceived by the state peasants as turning them into serfdom from the Minister of Agriculture, Count Kiselev. Therefore, not the potato itself, but the administrative measures of the tsarist officials to expand its plantings, associated with harassment and abuse, caused the riots. It is possible that the situation was aggravated by rumors spread 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 the uprising of the peasants under the leadership of Pugachev had previously taken place.

Peasant uprisings were defeated everywhere.

For a long time, turnips were one of the staple foods for the common people in Russia. But gradually interest in potatoes increased.

Potato planting areas began to grow especially rapidly after the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Russia's entry into the era of capitalist relations entailed the development of industry, including that of its industry, which was engaged in the processing of tubers. One after another, starch and distillery enterprises began to be built - and soon there were already hundreds of them. Landowners, breeders and individual peasants began to grow potatoes in the 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 specialized institutions began to be created: the Kostroma Experimental Field, the Butylitskoye (Vladimir Region), the Polushkinskoe Sand and Potato Experimental Field and the Korenevskaya Experimental Potato Breeding Station (Moscow Region).

Hero of Socialist Labor Alexander Georgievich Lorkh (1889-1980) is rightfully considered the founder and organizer of breeding and seed-growing work on potatoes. On his initiative, the Korenevskaya 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 varieties potatoes - Korenevsky and Lorch. The latter can rightly be considered the pride of the Soviet selection. It is characterized by high yield, good taste, keeping quality and plasticity. It supplanted most foreign varieties and until recently had no equal in the world in terms of prevalence. This variety in 1942 on the collective farm "Krasny Perekop" in the Mariinsky district of the Kemerovo region gave a world record harvest - 1331 centners per hectare.

Fundamental research on systematics, 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. They developed cancer-resistant varieties of this plant.

The founder of breeding work on potatoes 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 - author famous varieties- Loshitsky, Temp, Boiled, Belarusian starchy, Willow.

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, even today in our country there are quite a few collective farms and state farms that receive stable yields of 200-300 centners per hectare.

Currently, potatoes in Europe are grown on an area of ​​​​about 7 million hectares.

Relatively recently in Russia appeared New Product- potato. Potatoes took their usual place on our table only at the beginning of the 19th century and gradually replaced turnips, which, like potatoes, were fried, boiled, baked, crushed with butter and added to various dishes. Many people in Russia were saved from starvation thanks to potatoes. But before taking its rightful place on the tables of mother Russia, potatoes had to face many difficulties, rejection and misunderstanding.

homeland of the potato South America. It was first discovered by Europeans in the middle of the 16th century in what is now Peru, as well as in what is now Ecuador. Here he was called papa and held harvest festivals in his honor. Tubers were the main food for the Indians, allowing them to eat and live tolerably.

From South America, potatoes came to Europe, where they were met with hostility and had a bad reputation. And only thanks to the efforts of the French agronomist and pharmacist Antoine Parmentier, potatoes gradually conquered Europe and were appreciated.

Potatoes came to Russia thanks to Peter I. There is an opinion that Tsar Peter met him in Holland, appreciated him and sent a bag of potatoes to Russia, ordering him to be bred in Russia. But this wonderful undertaking of Peter I was not destined to be realized during his lifetime.

Potatoes really came to Russia only after the Seven Years' War. When Russian soldiers got to Prussia and Poland, they saw how it grows, tried it and brought it with them.

In 1765, the Russian government recognized the usefulness of growing potatoes. A special decree was issued and the "Instruction on the cultivation and use of earthen apples" was issued. In the autumn of the same year, about 500 poods of potatoes were bought in Ireland and sent to Moscow, and from there it was supposed to be sent to the provinces.

Unfortunately, at that time it was a frosty winter, and almost all the potatoes froze. Only 140 kilograms remained fit. It was this surviving potato that was planted in the pharmacy garden in Moscow, and the grown crop was sent to different provinces with orders to breed a new crop.

With great difficulty, potatoes took root in the fields and gardens. Russian peasants did not want to part with turnips and radishes, to which they were accustomed, and the appearance of potatoes was met with great distrust. The Old Believers were especially active against him. They referred to the potato as "damn apple". In their opinion, it was a sin not only to eat tubers, but even to cultivate them in vegetable gardens.

But not only the "dark" peasants did not accept the new product. Enlightened people were also prejudiced against potatoes. Many considered it a German vegetable, and believed that its cultivation had a negative effect on national identity.

It was widely believed that with the help of potatoes they want to change the faith.

The young Russian officer Bolotov became an ardent propagandist of the potato, its ardent defender. He made publications about potatoes and even published the Economics Store magazine. Here he posted a large number of material about potatoes, described it beneficial features, made proposals on the use of potatoes not only as food product, but also to cook from it smoking, wine, as well as powder.

The year 1840 in Russia was marked by a crop failure, and then the Russian government took decisive measures to spread and grow potatoes. The peasants, dissatisfied with this turn, fiercely resisted, and potato riots swept across Russia. Troops were sent to pacify them, which acted with exceptional rigidity.

After that, according to the "highest command", it was instructed to arrange public potato fields in all settlements, which would allow providing peasants with seeds. It was also prescribed to draw up instructions for growing, storing and eating potatoes. The same decree ordered to encourage peasants who succeeded in growing a new crop with various awards.

Of course, at first, we considered potatoes to be an overseas vegetable and quite exotic. It was served as a delicacy at palace balls and various receptions and seasoned with sugar.

Gradually most of people reconciled themselves to the inevitability of innovations and got involved in the work. Already at the end of the 18th century, potato crops became widespread in the north-west of Russia and in the Baltic lands. The new plant took root well and triumphantly marched across the country.

Over time, in Rus', more and more was learned about potatoes. And already in the magazines one could read that earthen apples are healthy and pleasant food. Here you could also read that potatoes can be used for baking bread, cooking cereals, making pies and dumplings. And Pushkin was very fond of baked potatoes and loved to treat his guests to them.

At the end of the 19th century, potatoes became the most common inhabitant of fields and gardens. Currently, it is one of the most necessary and sought-after garden crops. After long rejections, the potato became the second bread of Russia. Now there is no such corner in the country where potatoes are not grown, and there is no vegetable more attractive to the Russian soul.

Only a few decades have passed since the national recognition of the potato, and it has made a complete revolution in Russian culinary traditions.

Potatoes became necessary for all layers of Russian society - both the poor and the rich ate it with pleasure. Often in poor families, he became the only food. Excellent compatibility with plant and animal products and its culinary versatility have led to the fact that he entered into many dishes and even desserts.

The potato occupies an honorable and firm place on dining tables. Now potatoes are eaten all over the earth from morning to evening, they feed millions and millions of people and rightfully bear the title of the second bread of mankind.

Today, potatoes are almost the main basis of the Russian table. But not so long ago, just some 300 years ago, they did not eat it in Russia. How did the Slavs live without potatoes?

Potatoes appeared in Russian cuisine only at the beginning of the 18th century thanks to Peter the Great. But potatoes began to spread among all segments of the population only in the reign of Catherine. And now it is already difficult to imagine what our ancestors ate, if not fried potatoes or mashed potatoes. How could they even live without this root crop?

Lenten table

One of the main features of Russian cuisine is the division into lean and modest. About 200 days a year in the Russian Orthodox calendar fall on Lenten days. This means: no meat, no milk and no eggs. Only vegetable food and on some days - fish. Seems sparse and bad? Not at all. Lenten table was distinguished by richness and abundance, a huge variety of dishes. Lenten tables peasants and rather wealthy people in those days did not differ much: the same cabbage soup, cereals, vegetables, mushrooms. The only difference was that it was difficult for residents who did not live near the reservoir to get fresh fish for the table. So the fish table in the villages was rare, but those who had money could call it themselves.

The main products of Russian cuisine

Approximately such an assortment was available in the villages, but it must be borne in mind that meat was eaten extremely rarely, usually this happened in the fall or in the winter meat-eater, before Maslenitsa.
Vegetables: turnips, cabbage, cucumbers, radishes, beets, carrots, rutabagas, pumpkins,
Kashi: oatmeal, buckwheat, pearl barley, wheat, millet, wheat, barley.
Bread: mostly rye, but there was also wheat, more expensive and rare.
Mushrooms
Dairy products: raw milk, sour cream, curdled milk, cottage cheese
Baking: pies, pies, kulebyaks, sikas, bagels, sweet pastries.
Fish, game, livestock meat.
Seasonings: onion, garlic, horseradish, dill, parsley, cloves, Bay leaf, black pepper.
Fruits: apples, pears, plums
Berries: cherry, lingonberry, viburnum, cranberry, cloudberry, stone fruit, blackthorn
Nuts and seeds

Festive table

The boyar table, and the table of wealthy townspeople, was distinguished by rare abundance. In the 17th century, the number of dishes increased, the tables, both lean and fast, became more and more diverse. Any big meal already included more than 5-6 meals:

Hot (soup, stew, soup);
cold (okroshka, botvinya, jelly, jellied fish, corned beef);
roast (meat, poultry);
body (boiled or fried hot fish);
savory pies,
kulebyaka; porridge (sometimes it was served with cabbage soup);
cake (sweet pies, pies);
snacks (sweets for tea, candied fruit, etc.).

Alexander Nechvolodov in his book “Tales of the Russian Land” describes the boyar feast and admires its wealth: “After vodka, they started snacks, of which there were a great many; V fast days served sauerkraut, all kinds of mushroom and all kinds of fish, ranging from caviar and salmon to steam sterlet, whitefish and various fried fish. With a snack, borsch botvinya was also supposed to be served.

Then they moved on to the hot ear, which was served the same way. varied cooking- red and black, pike, sturgeon, crucian carp, national team, with saffron and so on. Other dishes prepared from salmon with lemon, white salmon with plums, sterlet with cucumbers, and so on were served right there.

Then they were served to each ear, with seasoning, often baked in the form of various kinds of animals, also pies cooked in nut or hemp oil with all kinds of fillings.

After the fish soup followed: “salted” or “salted”, any fresh fish, which came from various parts of the state, and always under the "zvar" (sauce), with horseradish, garlic and mustard.

The dinner ended with the serving of "bread": various kinds of cookies, donuts, pies with cinnamon, poppy seeds, raisins, etc.

All alone

The first thing that threw overseas guests, if they got to a Russian feast: an abundance of dishes, it doesn’t matter if it was a lean day or a modest one. The fact is that all vegetables, and indeed all products, were served separately. Fish could be baked, fried or boiled, but there was only one type of fish on one dish. Mushrooms were salted separately, milk mushrooms, white mushrooms, butter mushrooms were served separately ... Salads were one (!) Vegetable, and not at all a mixture of vegetables. Any vegetable could be served fried or boiled.

Hot dishes are also prepared according to the same principle: birds are baked separately, separate pieces of meat are stewed.

The old Russian cuisine did not know what finely chopped and mixed salads were, as well as various finely chopped roasts and meat azu. There were also no cutlets, sausages and sausages. Everything finely chopped, chopped into minced meat appeared much later.

Stews and soups

In the 17th century, the direction of cooking finally took shape, which is responsible for soups and other liquid meals. Pickles, hodgepodges, hangovers appeared. They were added to the friendly family of soups that stood on Russian tables: stew, cabbage soup, fish soup (usually from one kind of fish, so the principle of “everything separately” was respected).

What else appeared in the 17th century

In general, this century is the time of novelties and interesting products in Russian cuisine. Tea is imported to Russia. In the second half of the 17th century, sugar appeared and the assortment of sweet dishes expanded: candied fruits, jams, sweets, candies. Finally, lemons appear, which are beginning to be added to tea, as well as to rich soups with a hangover.

Finally, during these years there was a very strong influence Tatar cuisine. Therefore, dishes from unleavened dough: noodles, dumplings, dumplings.

When did the potato appear

Everyone knows that potatoes appeared in Russia in the 18th century thanks to Peter I - it was he who brought seed potatoes from Holland. But the overseas curiosity was available only to rich people and for a long time potatoes remained a delicacy for the aristocracy.

The widespread use of potatoes began in 1765, when, after the decree of Catherine II, batches of seed potatoes were brought to Russia. It was distributed almost by force: the peasant population did not accept the new culture, because they considered it poisonous (a wave of poisoning with poisonous potatoes swept across Russia, since at first the peasants did not understand that it was necessary to eat root crops and ate tops). The potato took root for a long time and was difficult, even in the 19th century it was called the "devil's apple" and refused to be planted. As a result, a wave of “potato riots” swept across Russia, and in the middle of the 19th century, Nicholas I was still able to massively introduce potatoes into peasant gardens. And by the beginning of the 20th century, it was already considered a 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, preparation and storage rules.

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 nutritional and taste properties potatoes were confirmed, and it became widely known as a food item.

❧ 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.

In 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. As a result, by the end of the XIX century. 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 - these are postage stamps and paintings by famous artists, such as Van Gogh's Potato Eaters.

Useful properties of potatoes

Potatoes contain a large amount of potassium, which helps to remove salt from the body and excess water. Because of this, potatoes are often used in diet food. 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. Potato - indispensable assistant in the fight against gastritis, gastric ulcers and duodenum, it has an alkalizing effect, which is undeniably important for people suffering from hyperacidity. In addition to starch, potatoes contain ascorbic acid, various vitamins and proteins.

This vegetable is likely to take second place in terms of prevalence. Africa or America, Europe or Asia - regardless of the continent, people all over the world enjoy it. We are so accustomed to it that we no longer consider it something new, and even more so we do not classify it as a delicacy. It's about about the potato we have known for a long time. Let's remember the time when it was not yet so widespread, learn about some of the tragedies associated with its loss, and find out why it is still so appreciated in Russia. However, let's start from where it spread throughout the world. What became the birthplace of the potato? Is it Europe or another place?

It has long been believed that potatoes came to us from the homeland of the potato - Chile, Peru and Bolivia. Even today, in our time, in the Andes, you can see how potatoes grow in the wild. There, at an altitude of more than a kilometer, you can find tubers of almost all currently known varieties. According to scientists, in ancient times, the Indians in that area could breed and cross varieties various plants including potatoes. The very first information about potatoes came from a Spaniard, a participant in the military campaign of Julian de Castellanos in 1535. According to him, even the Spaniards liked the mealy root crop of this plant. True, few people paid attention to his words. So you can briefly describe how the history of the origin of the potato (its distribution) began.

How culture came to Europe

We find further descriptions of the potato in the Chronicle of Peru by Pedro Chiesa de Leone. He described this plant in great detail and clearly. The history of the emergence of potatoes interested the king of Spain, who gave the order to bring great amount this overseas product. Thus, thanks to Spain, the homeland of the potato - South America - supplied the whole of Europe with this vegetable. First he came to Italy, and later to Belgium. After that, the mayor of Mons (Belgium) handed over several tubers for research to his arc and a friend in Vienna. And only his acquaintance, also a botanist, described the potato in detail in his work "On Plants". Thanks to him, the potato had its own scientific name- Solyanum tuberosum esculentum (tuberous nightshade). After a while, his description of the potato and the very name of the garden crop became generally recognized.

In Ireland

The time came for Ireland, and in the 1590s the potato arrived there. There he gained universal recognition due to the fact that he took root well even in relatively unfavorable conditions. Regardless of the climate, wet or dry, mild or changeable, regardless of whether the tubers were planted in fertile or infertile soil, potatoes bore fruit. Therefore, it spread so much that in the 1950s, at least a third of the entire area suitable for agriculture was planted with potato plantations. More than half of the harvest was directed to food for people. Thus, potatoes began to be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Everything would be fine, but suddenly there would be a crop failure? What would the Irish eat in such a case? They didn't want to think about it.

Consequences of crop failures

If earlier it happened that the potato did not bring the expected harvest, then certain efforts were made to provide needed help injured. And if the next year it was again possible to collect the required amount of root crop, this covered the shortcomings of the previous period. So, in 1845 there was another crop failure. However, no one was worried about the reasons for what happened. It must be said that at that time they still did not know much about late blight - because of which it was not possible to collect required amount vegetables. A fungus that infects tubers leads to rotting of potatoes in the ground, and even after harvesting from the fields. In addition, fungal spores of the disease are easily spread by airborne droplets. And due to the fact that only one variety of potatoes was planted in Ireland at that time, the entire crop quickly died. The same thing happened in the next few years, which led first to unemployment, and then to hunger in the country. Indirectly, this affected the outbreak of cholera, which in 1849 killed more than 36 thousand people. The story of the potato, with such an unfortunate turn of events, resulted in the state losing over a quarter of its population.

Potatoes: the history of appearance in Russia

Gradually, the culture spread in the countries of Europe, as we saw in the example of Ireland, and at the very beginning of the eighteenth century it first appeared in Russia. In those years, Peter I was passing through Holland. There he had the opportunity to taste dishes made from potatoes (at that time, as today, they did not suspect that South America was the birthplace of the potato). After tasting the culinary innovation, the Russian sovereign noted original taste potato fruits. Since this delicacy did not yet exist in Russia, he decided to send a bag of potatoes to his homeland. Thus began the history of potatoes in Russia.

In chernozem, as well as in soils of medium acidity new culture settled down well. However simple people still cautiously looked at this miracle vegetable, because due to ignorance right ways its preparations have resulted in numerous cases of poisoning. How to make sure that the distribution of potatoes is put on a grand scale? Peter I was a smart man and figured out what could be done for this. Tubers were planted in several fields, and guards were posted nearby, who served during the day, but left the fields at night. This aroused great curiosity among ordinary peasants, and they began to steal at night, while no one was watching. new vegetable and plant in their fields. However, at that time it still did not receive widespread distribution. There were a lot of those who "managed" to be poisoned by its berries. Therefore, the "damn apple" was basically refused to be grown by ordinary people. For as much as 50-60 years, the miracle vegetable was forgotten in Russia.

How did the potato become famous?

Later, Catherine II played a big role in making potatoes universally recognized. However, the main impetus for the spread of root crops was the famine that occurred in the 1860s. It was then that they remembered everything that they had previously neglected, and were surprised to find that potatoes have great taste and very nutritious. As they say, "there would be no happiness, but misfortune helped."

Like this interesting story potatoes in Russia. So, over time, they began to plant throughout the country. People soon realized how useful the supply of this vegetable is, especially in times of crop failure. Until now, potatoes are considered the second bread, because, having sufficient stocks of it in the cellar, you can live even in difficult times. Thanks to their calorie content and benefits, to this day, the first thing that is planted in the garden is potato tubers.

Why potatoes are so popular in Russia

Since the time of Peter I, people did not immediately learn about the chemical and nutritional value this root crop for the human body. However, the history of the potato shows that it contains the substances necessary for survival in times of famine, disease and misfortune. What is so valuable and useful in this ordinary root crop? It turns out that its proteins contain almost all the amino acids that we could find in plant foods. Three hundred grams of this vegetable is enough to satisfy the daily requirement of potassium, phosphorus and carbohydrates. Potatoes, especially fresh ones, are rich in vitamin C and fiber. Moreover, it contains other elements necessary for life, such as iron, zinc, manganese, iodine, sodium and even calcium. Moreover, most of the nutrients are found in the peel of potatoes, which today is very often not eaten. However, in times of famine, ordinary people did not neglect it and ate whole potatoes, baked or boiled.

Growing the only one and the consequences of it

As we have already learned, the homeland of potatoes is South America. There, the farmers acted wisely, planting root crops different varieties. So, only some of them were susceptible to the disease - fungal late blight. Therefore, even if such varieties died, it would not entail such terrible disasters as in Ireland. The fact that in nature there are varieties of the same culture protects people from this kind of misfortune. However, if you grow only one variety of fruits, then this can lead to what once happened in Ireland. As well as the use of various chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which have a particularly adverse effect on natural cycles and the ecology in general.

Why is it profitable to grow only one variety of potatoes

What in this case, including in Russia, encourages farmers to grow only one particular variety of potatoes? This is mainly influenced by marketability and economic factors. Thus, farmers can bet on beautiful view fruits, which means more demand from buyers. Also, the emergence of a standard crop can be explained by the fact that a certain variety of potato brings a larger yield in a particular area than others. However, as we have learned, this approach can have far-reaching adverse effects.

The Colorado potato beetle is the main enemy of Russian gardeners

Insect pests can cause great damage to crops. One type of leaf beetle is very familiar to every gardener or farmer - it was first discovered in 1859 how much difficulty this insect can bring to potato cultivation. And in the 1900s, the beetle reached Europe. When he was brought here by chance, he quickly covered the entire continent, including Russia. Due to its resistance to chemicals, which are used to fight it, this beetle is almost the main enemy of every gardener. Therefore, in order to do away with this pest, in addition to chemicals, agrotechnical methods began to be used. And now in Russia, every summer resident who wants to feast on homemade potatoes fried or baked in the coals of a fire, first has to get acquainted with simple methods of dealing with this pest.