Neshannock, the First Popular Potato Variety Developed in North America

摘要

The Neshannock potato variety was developed in the early nineteenth century in Pennsylvania by John and James Gilkey. This variety rose very rapidly in popularity across the United States. During the Irish Famine in the 1840s large quantities of this variety were shipped to Ireland to feed the hungry. Its demise by the end of the nineteenth century was probably caused by the combination of the lack of a seed potato certification system and a plethora of new varieties. Even though this variety is now extinct and apparently without records of it having been used as a parent in breeding, it nevertheless occupies an important place in American potato history.