STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 13 1 



one failed the fourtli and the other the fifth year. The last, how- 

 ever, was sent to Virginia early, where, with a longer season of 

 growth, it flourished. A seventh sort ripened from the first in 

 good season, but was dwarf and not valuable. The eighth sort 

 w^as the Rough Purple Chili, and was found to come within the 

 range of our seasons. It continues to flourish. In December, 

 1852, 1 received three more sorts from South America. They were 

 almost undistinguishable in color. One of them, purchased in 

 the market at Calao, in 12^ south lat.., (but supposed to have 

 been brought from the mountains.) never half ripened, and was 

 rejected after two years trial. Another was a wild variety, dug 

 by my friend in a wild ravine, within half a mile of Valparaiso, 

 in 32° south lat. This flowered very early, and was covered 

 with flowers all summer, but set neither balls nor tubers, and 

 was irrecoverably lost. A third, bought in the market of Val- 

 paraiso, but supposed to have been grown upon the mountains, 

 ripens tolerably Avell, and shows no decline yet in health or yield. 

 Its tubers, however, are very late, and are often diseased. This 

 sort also was early sent to Virginia, where it flourishes. Thus it 

 is seen that, in twelve cases of imported varieties of the potato, 

 the maturities of each remained unchanged; thus illustrating the 

 law that character^ in regard to season of maturity^ is congenital. 



c. As a farther illustration of this law, I may state that, 

 between 1848 and 1857, I originated more than eight thousand 

 varieties of seedling potatoes. They included about fifty-one 

 families and sub-families. There were twelve hundred of them, 

 including fifteen families, originated in 1856, of which I cannot 

 yet speak confidently; but of the others I can truly say that, I 

 have never found a variety vary subsequently from its earliest 

 ascertained period of maturity, although my culture, the second 

 year, often covered one-half of the original number, and one- 

 fourth or fifth the third year. It was from such experience as 

 this, that I was led to lay down the position, in my publislicd 

 rules for tlie culture of seedling potatoes, (See Patent office 

 report, of 1855, p. 206,) " that a seed/in g well cultivated^ and 

 yet making small potatoes the first year, will never afterwards mature 

 in season y 



d. The assertion is sometimes made that, the Isabella and 

 Catawba grapes, though brought from North Lat. 33^ to 36^, with 



