FARM DEPARTMENT. 169 



VARIETIES. 



We have been testing several of the newer varieties for some years. The 

 Beauty of TTebrou and ]'>iirbank's Seedling are our main sorts for field 

 culture. 



They yield well and are of excellent quality. The Early Ohio, Clark's 

 No. 1, the Rural Blush, and tlie White Star, are good yielding sorts, but 

 they have not proved equal, with us, in smoothness, uniform size and 

 quality, to the two varieties first iiamed. 



I clip from the New England Homestead a few notes, on papers on potato 

 culture, read at the winter meetiiig of the Massachusetts State Board of 

 Agriculture, by Hon. Edmund Hersey, of Hingham, Mass., and Major 

 Alvord, of Houghton Farm, N. Y. 



Mr. Hersey is said to have had a lifetime of observation and experience 

 with this crop, and Major Alvord is known as a careful experimenter. It 

 will be seen that there is some difference in the opinions expressed. 



" Mr. Hersey said, thus far, he has got the most, the largest, vjul the best 

 (piality of potatoes from small tubers cut two eyes to a piece. Here are his 

 conclusions: 



"1. The shape of a potato cannot be changed by the continued selection 

 of any particular form of the seed planted. 2. The crop may bo increased 

 by selecting for seed healthy, well kept tubers, and diminished by selecting 

 for seed diseased and poorly kept potatoes. 3. Hard potatoes that have 

 sprouted but little are better for seed than those that are soft, or have any 

 long sprouts. 4. Long continued planting of any variety gradually changes 

 its characteristics. 5. Large crops are only obtained on rich soils, well pre- 

 pared by being thoroughly pulverized. G. In ordinary field culture the size 

 of the tubers planted should be sufficient to give the young plants a vigorous 

 start. 7. Neither the size or form of the seed tuber is of half as much 

 consequence as is its healthy condition or its vital powers. 8. No rule can 

 be laid down in regard to the quantity of seed per acre, the amount of 

 manure to be applied, or the particular method of cultivation. '.). One or 

 half a dozen experiments are not sufficient to establish any particular facts, 

 and each one must experiment for himself on his own farm. 



" Following Mr. Hersey's address, came the reading by Secretary Ilussell 

 of a paper from Major Alvord detailing the experiments witii potatoes at 

 Houghton Farm, New York, during the past season. A collection of tubers 

 grown in this experiment were displayed at several of the Massachusetts 

 fairs the past fall. The result of the trial was that the planting of fair-sized 

 whole potatoes was the most satisfactory in result. This was true not only of 

 a single kind, but was the average of 128 different kinds, treated exactly alike 

 except in the form or cutting of the seed. In ])roducLiveness alone, the 

 seven leading varieties stand in this order: American Giant, Burrough's 

 Garfield, Cheeseman's Seedling, Hiker's Graft, Chief, Beauty of Hebron, 

 0. K., Mammoth Prolific, In greatest number of merchantable tubers, this 

 is the order of preference: Farimi, Blush No. 2, Chicago Market, Defiance, 

 Beauty of Hebron, liural Blush, Burrough's Garfield, Adirondack. Of the 

 varieties in these lists, these are objectionable because rough and of bad 

 shape: Chicago Market, Burrough's Garfield, Adirondack, American Giant 

 (rather deep eyes), Cheeseman's Seedling, Defiance. And this leaves as 

 favorably recorded on account of gross productiveness and merchantable in 

 regard to both quantity and condition, the Beauty of Hebron only. 



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