20 categorical statements from the past

[Sanity Check]

"[Kapodistrias] also introduced the potato into Greece [in 1828] in an attempt to improve people's diet. At first, this met with deep scepticism [sic] among the peasantry, who refused to take up his offer of free distribution of seed potatoes to anyone who would plant them. Trying a new tactic, Kapodistrias had the potatoes piled up on the waterfront at Nafplio and surrounded by armed guards. This convinced local people and visitors from the countryside that these new vegetables were precious objects, and thus worth stealing. Before long, as the guards turned a blind eye, virtually all the potatoes had been taken - and their future in Greece was assured." (p.60)