146 American Horticultural Society. 



Prof. E. L. Case, Sierra Vallej', Northern California: "I planted three of 

 your Arizona potatoes, in rich alluvial soil, in my garden, in June. As they 

 sprouted and grew two kinds appeared, and I soon recognized your printed 

 description of the species. October 14, I dug them; the crop half tilled a 

 large cigar box. The largest are fully the size of English walnuts. I am 

 well pleased with the result." 



D. S. Marvin, Watertown, N. Y. : "You are but going over ground I have 

 trodden faithfully for years, to no purpose; but you, nearer their habitat, 

 may succeed by other methods than mine." 



Dr. Gray writes : " Your Arizona potatoes will not amount to anything as 

 potatoes!" — implying that they were only curious tuber-bearing Solani. 



Prof. Meehan, of Philadelphia, in an editorial in the Gardeners' Monthly, 

 alluding to my potato experiment, says: "I cultivated one of the species, 

 Solanum Fendleri, several years ago, when distributed by Dr. C. C. Parry, and 

 after eight years' trial, during which they ran all about in my borders, 

 finally they lost out, I hardly know for what cause." 



These opinions, pro and con, were elicited during the first year's experi- 

 ment. The next, or the year just closed (1884), are quite encouraging: 



Osgood Plnmmer, of Worcester, Mass., writes: "Your Arizona potatoes 

 have been carefully cultivated two seasons, with the result as follows : 



May 16, 1883. Planted.. :J4 potatoes, weighing \\ oz. 



Product. 217 " " 8^ oz. 



May 24, 1884. Planted.. 217 " " 8^ oz. 



Product..2,060 " " 145 oz. 



-')^ 



" I have full particulars of soil, treatment, etc., which I will forward if de- 

 sired. The first season they threw oat long roots (stolons), and spread a 

 great distance, and bore a profusion of seed bolls. This season but few bolls 

 were perfected and the runners were much shorter. Among the tubers 

 there are one hundred or more that are more than twice the size of the 

 largest of the originals." 



Prof. E. G. Mumford, Portlandville, N. Y., reports very frequently, and 

 gives such careful particulars, showing that he is a thorough experimenter, 

 that I close this topic with copious extracts from his last letter : 



'' I want to outline the method I have adopted, and give you my views as 

 to best ways and means to develop these wildings to equal or even surpass 

 the present stocks of potatoes, for I am thoroughly in earnest and decidedly 

 hopeful. 



" The year 1883 was spent in forming acquaintance with habits and pecu- 

 liarities, ending in selecting at harvest time the best, earliest ripening seed- 

 bolls, and the tubers having the shortest stems. I also endeavored to make 

 a cross with several cultivated sorts, but failed in this. 



" In 1884 I planted as many tubers as I could afford space for, with as much 

 of the seed as I could care for, watching through the season closely for any 



