<P> Edward Terry mentioned the potato in his travel accounts of the banquet at Ajmer by Asaph Khan to Sir Thomas Roe, the British Ambassador in 1675 . It is the earliest mention in history of India . The vegetables gardens of Surat and Karnataka had potatoes as mentioned in Fyer's travel record of 1675 . The Portuguese introduced potatoes, which they called' Batata', to India in the early seventeenth century when they cultivated it along the western coast . British traders introduced potatoes to Bengal as a root crop,' Alu' . By the end of the 18th century, it was cultivated across northern hill areas of India . Potatoes were introduced to Tibet by the 19th century through the trade route from India . </P> <P> The potato was introduced to the Philippines during the late 16th century, and to Java and China during the 17th century . </P> <P> Early colonists in Virginia and the Carolinas may have grown potatoes from seeds or tubers from Spanish ships, but the earliest certain potato crop in North America was in Londonderry, New Hampshire in 1719 . The plants were from Ireland, so the crop became known as the "Irish potato". Potatoes were planted in Idaho as early as 1838; by 1900 the state's production exceeded a million bushels (about 27,000 tonnes). Before 1910, the crops were stored in barns or root cellars, but, by the 1920s, potato cellars or barns came into use . U.S. potato production has increased steadily; two - thirds of the crop comes from Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Maine, and potato growers have strengthened their position in both domestic and foreign markets . </P> <P> By the 1960s, the Canadian Potato Research Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick, was one of the top six potato research institutes in the world . Established in 1912 as a Dominion Experimental Station, the station began in the 1930s to concentrate on breeding new varieties of disease - resistant potatoes . In the 1950s--1960s, the growth of the French fry industry in New Brunswick led to a focus on developing varieties for the industry . By the 1970s, the station's potato research was broader than ever before, but the station and its research programs had changed, as emphasis was placed on serving industry rather than potato farmers in general . Scientists at the station even began describing their work using engineering language rather than scientific prose . Potatoes are Canada's most important vegetable crop; they are grown commercially in all its provinces, led by Prince Edward Island . In modern times potatoes have grown in popularity due to their versatility and ability to be used for many different dishes of food . </P>

When were potatoes first eaten in north america