Farming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Farming - Essay Example This word is a combination of â€Å"Taino batata† which stands for the sweet potato and the â€Å"Quecha papa† which is the actual potato. Reportedly, it was first cultivated in Peru and Bolivia (Spooner, McLean, Ramsay, Waugh, and Bryan 14694). It is a tuber that usually grows up to about 24 inches or 60 centimetres. Like other tubers, potatoes’ formations are dependent on daylight hours (Amador, Bou, Martinez-Garcia, Monte, Rodriguea-Falcon, Russo, and Prat 38). However, this tendency has been controlled in several varieties. As stated by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization in 2005, potato is the world’s fourth-largest agricultural yield. It is following other staple crops such as wheat, rice, and corn. In fact, the common individual eats up to 33 kilograms or 73 pounds of this root vegetable each year. Aside from food, potato can also be used in other ways. It has otherwise been employed in different merchandises such as alcoholic beve rages, adhesives, and even ointments. Regarding potatoes’ role in history, potatoes were one of the crops used to help keep soldiers fed during the American Civil War. Logistics showed that the different armies strived to have enough nutrition. This is depicted in the documentary film, The Civil War which was created by Ken Burns in 1990. The vegetable was usually served in small compressed cubes. Potatoes were particularly helpful in those rations since other kinds of food such as rice were frequently infested. This information is backed up by the history of rations prepared by the Quartermaster School of the United States Army Quartermaster Foundation. The notes show that a part of the civil war rations by congressional acts in 1860 and 1861 have included potatoes. The record stated that 7 ounces of potatoes per soldier was proportioned. The potato ration was then increased in the Spanish American war. Additionally, a memoir of a soldier documented some of their usual nouri shment. â€Å"Each battalion has its own galley, but chow on Pavuvu consisted mainly of heated C rations: dehydrated eggs, dehydrated potatoes, and that detestable canned meant called Spam† (Manchester 260). To make rations last longer, the usual perishable goods were preserved often through dehydration. Another anecdote is from Private Walter Carter, 22nd Massachusetts Regiment. He wrote from near Washington in September 1862, â€Å"This morning I went foraging, and got corn, potatoes, cabbages, beets, etc. to make a grand boiled dinner. It was a great treat, after living so long on nothing; it tasted like home. It is fun to see the boys roasting corn and potatoes, frying meat and making coffee. I can cook almost anything now in a rude way† (161). From the aforementioned statements, it is clear that the soldiers lived on potatoes among other kinds of food. Relatedly, potato is one of the central harvests that were maximized in World War I. The government produced pamp hlets such as â€Å"Without Wheat†, â€Å"Sweets without Sugar†, and â€Å"Potato Possibilities†. These propagandas aimed to conserve resources for those fighting in the battle fields. The pamphlets were issued by the Federal Board of New York and supported by the United States Food Administration. The four-paged-pamphlet introduced potato as a â€Å"staff of life†, the introductions were written as: â€Å"It furnishes fuel for the body. It gives mineral salts which help to keep the blood in good condition. It is easily digested. It is a good food all