1QQ BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



We are far from believing that the potato has reached its acme 

 of palatable or prolific qualities. Its history — the developments 

 incident thereto — the laws of progress — all inculcate and strengthen 

 such belief. And more, whoever produces a better potato than 

 we already have, is a public benefactor, and if he gives us one 

 which will produce more to the acre, he adds largely to the wealth 

 of the country. 



During some remarks by several members, after the reading of 

 Mr. Wasson's paper, a question Was addressed to the Secretary 

 regarding what constituted a variety, or a sub-variety. 



Mr. Goodale in reply said, there was among plants a genus, that 

 is to say, a group of plants, having certain characteristics in 

 common, which characteristics distinguished them from other 

 plants, called " Solanum." This genus embraces the potato, 

 the tomato and several others. The species of Solanum called 

 " tuberosum " is the potato, " tuberosum " being its specific name, 

 and embraces all varieties of the potato. Like many other 

 species, the Solanum tuberosum, or potato, was subject to 

 variation when grown from seed. When grown in its native 

 habitat, and under the conditions of nature, the variations 

 were comparatively slight and might escape notice ; but when 

 cultivated under differing conditions of soil, climate and food, 

 the variations increased rapidly, and reached a wide diver- 

 gence from the original or normal type. Many seedlings grown 

 under the care of the gardener resemble each other closely, yet 

 undoubtedly, no two of them were exactly alike in all respects. 



If Mr. Goodrich raised thirty thousand seedlings, as reported, 

 he produced that same number of varieties : although probably not 

 more than one in a thousand of them was worthy of extensive 

 cultivation as a field crop. 



Another style of variation sometimes appears ; for we find 

 occasionally that a part of the product grown from the planting of 

 one tuber shows a difierence in form or color from the rest. This 

 is called " sporting," and is more commonly noticed with parti- 

 colored varieties, or mottled ones, than with self-colored ones. If 

 such a sport be planted, it may perpetuate itself, or it may revert 

 back, or^ part may continue the sport or divergence, and part may 

 not. If a variation thus originated be perpetuated, you have what 

 may with propriety be termed a " sub variety ;" and this, I conceive, 

 is the way in which some diversities of shade in color, or of form, 

 may appear in the same variety ; and sometimes lead to doubts as 



