Indigenous Potatoes of North America. 141 



Mr. 31unso7i, of Texas — My collection of grape leaves will remain 

 here until the close of the Exposition. They will then go to some 

 scientific institution. 



Mr. Wright, of Iowa — I have never heard a more valuable scien- 

 tific paper read. Mr. Munson has had the nerve to make his paper 

 practical as well as scientific. I congratulate Mr. Munson as the 

 anthor of such a paper, and the Society as its recipient. 



Mr. Lyon, of Michigan — This paper seems to be a subject of 

 thought rather than of discussion. 



Secretary Ragan, of Indiana — This paper alone, as part of our 

 published proceedings, will be worth far more to any horticulturist 

 than the annual membership fee in our Society. 



On motion the Society adjourned to meet at 8 P. m. at President 

 Earle's residence. 



President Earle's Residence, 



Evening Session, Jan. 20, 1885. 



President Earle — We are fortunate in having with us Professor 

 Lemmon, of California, who is an original discoverer in botany, 

 and whose special topic this evening is wild potatoes. As you will 

 see from the samples, though the potatoes are small, he grows a 

 great many in a hill. Ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure 

 in introducing Professor Lemmon. 



INDIGENOUS POTATOES OF NORTH AMERICA. 



BY PROF. J. G. LEMMON, OF CALIFORNIA. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the American Horticultural Society: 



I offer no apology for d- siring to present to this learned Association a 



short paper upon the Indigenous Potatoes of North America. 



The frequent falhng away of old, standard fruits, grains and vegetables, 



right and left, the gradual subsidence from prominence of certain favorite 



varieties, warns the prudent mind to be on the alert for impending disaster, 



a,nd to avert it in toto, or quickly apply equivalent relief. 



The common potato has been nearly blotted out of existence from our 



fields and gardens once, and under present modes of treatment, it is believed, 



and with present stock of varieties, it may at any time be utterly destroyed. 



