ANNUAL MEETING. 193 



cosb of production and the profits at a certain price. The sooner the people 

 of Michigan realize that the soil and climate of our beloved State and especially 

 of the northern part of it, is exactly adapted to successful potato culture the 

 sooner they will enter upon an era of increased prosperity. Phmt the stan- 

 dard market varieties, on good soil, using good, natural tubers for seed ; keep 

 the surface well stirred and clean, and success is almost absolutely certain. 



Dr. Fuller, Eaton Kapids : I have found that potatoes for seed cut to single 

 eyes very early in the spring and placed on dry sand in the sun would sprout 

 rapidly; and in a few days plants two inches in length, with a good root sys- 

 tem started, could be taken off and planted out in boxes as tomatoes are often 

 transplanted before planting out in open ground. In the meantime, while 

 these plants were growing, another set of sprouts from the same eyes would 

 develop, and after removing these, the pieces of potato could be planted in 

 open ground and most of the eyes would grow and produce a good crop of 

 tubers. I consider this quite an important factor in potato culture when one 

 sends off and procures a new variety at a dollar or more per pound. 



Secretary Garfield : What is flavor in potatoes? 



Prof. Satterlee : The same as flavor in other things — that which gives a 

 special character that is recognized by the sense of taste. 



President Lyon : Does flavor result from character of soil? 



Prof. Satterlee : It varies with differences in soil ; the same variety will have 

 a varied flavor planted upon different kinds of land. 



E. PI. Scott : What do I understand is your view of the sweating of potatoes? 



Prof. Satterlee : The tubers will sweat for from three to five weeks from 

 the time of digging; sweet potatoes will sweat every time they are moved. 



President Lyon : An expression in the essay leads me to enquire for a 

 definition of the term fruit. 



Prof. Satterlee: I don't know what the experts would reply, but I should 

 recognize as a fruit, a product of a plant which contains the seeds within or 

 attached to an edible pulp. This is not the botanical definition, but one that 

 accords with the popular notion of the term. 



Mr. Allis : I would not define but illustrate my idea of a definition. The 

 potato tuber is a thickened root; the potato ball is the fruit. The latter con- 

 tains the seeds in a pulp, but it is not considered edible. 



Pres. Lyon: Why do varieties of potatoes deteriorate? We have altogether 

 a different class of popular potatoes each decade. Twenty-five years ago the 

 Mercer was our most popular potato. We never see it now. 



Prof. Satterlee: I suppose disease, insects, poor seed, taste, and fashion, all 

 have to do with the change in popular varieties. 



Mr. Healy: Deterioration is our own fault; by giving proper attention to 

 the propagation and cultivation of any given variety, it will grow better instead 

 of worse in the hands of the grower. I have a neighbor that has been steadily 

 improving the Late Rose by selection according to a type, and giving good 

 culture. 



Mr. Scott: I suppose you would not plant small potatoes if you desired the 

 variety should improve. 



Mr. Healy: I am not so particular about that as that the seed should be 

 chosen from the best type of a hill; that is, I would consider the habit of the 

 whole plant, and select tubers either large or small from the best plants. 



Mr. Rosenkrans: My father raised a great many potatoes, and always 

 selected his seed from types that suited him at the time of harvesting the crop. 



