120 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



affect it so as to often g:roatly injure it before the season of plant- 

 ing conies arourui, unless the farmer makes an especial etfort to keep 

 it whore the heat, light and moisture are just rigiit to keep it in its 

 natural condition. 



At planting time the farmer, as a rule, plants what potatoes he 

 ciiances to have, whatever may be their condition, and that he may 

 use as few bushels of potatoes as possible, he cuts them in small 

 pieces ; and thus with the interior exposed to the action of the 

 soil, and in a bleeding condition, they are committed to the earth 

 without for a moment considering how much has been done to weaken 

 the power of the potato to force a growth in the young plant. 



If we are ever to make any progress in our investigations to ascer- 

 tain the best methods of producing a crop of potatoes, we must never 

 lose siglit of the fact that there is a great difference between a true 

 seed and a tuber. A seed being a complete renewal of life, there is 

 no running out except b}'- constitutional weakness ; but a tuber, being 

 but the continuation of the old life, it will eventually die out with old 

 age, even with the best of care and the most intelligent selection. 

 Thus varieties change with age. Some when first produced from the 

 seed will be of a very excellent qualit}', but in a few years change so 

 as to be of little value for table use. Other varieties will, at first, 

 be of doubtful value for the table, and onl}' grown because of their 

 great productiveness, but after planting for a score of years they 

 improve and become a very good table potato. The old Long Red 

 was of this character. 



In consequence of this difference between a true seed and a tuber, 

 if the farmer would make progress in potato culture it is more im- 

 portant that he should understand the exact character and wants of 

 the tuber than if it was a true seed. 



Every farmer who has had much experience in growing the potato 

 has learned that the variations in the amount of the crop, one year 

 with another, are far more than with crops grown from the true seed ; 

 and different fields the same year will sometimes differ one-half, 

 though to the careless observer or cultivator the two fields appear 

 to be alike and to have received the same treatment. Having noticed 

 these great variations earlj' in life, I commenced nearly fort}' years 

 ago to experiment with the potato, that I might be able to produce 

 it to the ver}' best advantage, and also that I might if possible settle 

 some of the disputed points in potato culture. This work has been 

 very slow and not always satisfactory, but there are some points 

 which are settled so far as relates to my own practice. 



