organic heirloom potatoes for the 1850's-1870's era

[Patricia]

Hi! I've never tried anything like this before. Anyway, we have just relocated to southern Anne Arundel County, Maryland and are attempting to research and plant an authentic organic 1850's-1870's garden. I am having difficulty finding the variety names of potatoes and onions that were present in the colonies at that time. Is there anybody who can help me, please? I know potatoes were first references in Londonderry, New Hampshire in 1719 and about wiped out in the mid-1800's, but search as I have, I can't seem to find which varieties were present. Thanks!

[Magpie]

Welcome!
I can't find any varieties before about 1880 either. I use Judyth McLeod's 'Heritage Gardening" book as my reference, this lists old varieties of almost all vegetables, but the spuds seem to start at around 1880, except for the original Peruvian ones. I wonder if that was all that was available then?

[Andy Hamilton]

Hello Patricia and welcome.

A bell rang here and I had a quick look through my books, I have the victorian Kitchen a BBC book by Jennifer Davies (based on a show). Alas it had no mention of the variety of potatoes used. However, the Victorian kitchen garden might.

Some reasearch suggests that the idaho potato was about during this time http://www.american.edu/ted/idahopotato.htm - although it seems like the locals did not take too kindly to it.

[couscous]

I think Royal Botanic Gardens - Kew hold a data base for plants
They may be able to help.