--------------+--------+----------+-------------+-------+-------+------- |Regents.|Dalmahoys.|Skerry-blues.|White |Orkney |Flukes. | | | |Rocks. |Reds. | +--------+----------+-------------+-------+-------+------- Water | 76·32 | 75·91 | 76·60 | 75·93 | 78·57 | 74·41 Starch | 12·21 | 12·58 | 11·79 | 12·77 | 10·85 | 12·55 Sugar, &c. | 2·75 | 2·93 | 3·09 | 2·17 | 2·78 | 2·89 Flesh-formers | | | | | | soluble | 2·16 | 2·10 | 1·90 | 1·88 | 1·48 | 1·98 insoluble | 0·21 | 0·15 | 0·16 | 0·24 | 0·21 | 0·20 Fibre | 5·53 | 5·21 | 5·41 | 5·55 | 5·93 | 6·71 Ash | 0·88 | 0·81 | 0·94 | 1·04 | 0·98 | 0·98 +--------+----------+-------------+-------+-------+------- | 100·06 | 99·69 | 99·89 | 99·58 |100·80 | 99·72 --------------+--------+----------+-------------+-------+-------+------- The potato is relatively deficient in flesh-forming matters, and contains the respiratory elements in exceedingly high proportions; hence it is well adapted for fattening purposes, and in this respect is equal to double its weight of the best kind of turnips. When used as food for man, it should be supplemented by some more fatty or nitrogenous substance--such, for example, as flesh, oatmeal, or peas. Buttermilk, a fluid which is rich in nitrogen, is an excellent supplement to potatoes, and compensates to a great extent for the deficiency of those tubers in muscle-forming matters. If, then, the potato is destined to retain its place as the "national esculent" of the Irish, I trust their national beverage may be--so far at least as the masses of the people are concerned--buttermilk, and _not_ whiskey.