# Material Conditions & The Potato in Hawaii Between 1849 and 1850, Hawaii exports of Irish potatoes increased by 6000 percent [zotpressInText item="{1574384:NB2B5S8J,51}"]. Nearly two centuries later, the crop is again seen as a potential boon to planters and plates. In 1849 Hawaii exported 858 barrels of Irish potatoes, in 1850 exports increased ~6000% to 51,951 barrels. Enterprising producers were quick to jump into the market. [zotpressInText item="{1574384:L3QGVLNV}"] ![Irish Potato Ad, 1851](https://supersistence.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Screen-Shot-2020-02-07-at-10.20.45-AM.png) October 11, 1851 advertisement in The Polynesian newspaper "The forty-niners in search of gold in California received a large part of their supplies of potatoes, wheat, beans, etc., from Hawaii by means of sailing vessels." [zotpressInText item="{1574384:NB2B5S8J,51},{1574384:X2PC3GQL,132}"] - Agricultural Agglomeration economy - rice straw mulch - Market pull - California - Variety Testing & Development - Extension - Land? - Labor? - Capital? Del Monte produced potatoes for a while, but got a blight [zotpressInTextBib style="apa" sort="ASC"]