POTATO CULTURE. 425 



lain, Atkinson, seedling; J. V. Putnam, Iloulton, 2 varieties; Geo. 

 Stetson, Bangor, 3 varieties; H. Hamlin, Bangor, 1 variety ; Abijah 

 Dunfear, Bangor, 3 varieties. 



Mr. Z. A. Gilbert delivered the following lecture on 

 The Cultuke of the Potato. 



The potato is of great importance to the State of Maine. It is 

 found upon the tables alike of the rich and of the poor, during the 

 entire year ; it forms a considerable portion of the food of swine ; 

 large quantities are annually fed to cattle and sheep ; in many 

 sections extensive starch factories work up thousands of bushels ; 

 and in addition to all these uses, and greater than all, it forms our 

 chief article of export. The annual product is measured by millions 

 of bushels, and the value is reckoned b}^ millions of dollars. 

 Strike it at once from our list of farm products, and our system of 

 farming would be extensively altered, the diet of our people and 

 the food of our stock would 'be radically changed, and the pletho- 

 ric pockets of the producers would no longer cash sight drafts on 

 presentation. Yet, notwithstanding the important position it main- 

 tains, until quite recently it has received but little attention from 

 the agricultural writers of the State. Our agricultural journals 

 have seldom contained an article upon the potato ; the Board of 

 Agriculture, if I mistake not, have never brought their combined 

 wisdom to bear upon the humble subject. The Secretary, until 

 last year, has not seen fit particularly to invite the attention of the 

 readers of his reports to it, either by selections or original matter. 

 Thus the potato has remained in humble obscurity, so far as print- 

 er's ink was concerned, till some one — it must have been an 

 ingenious Yankee — was possessed of the idea that there might be 

 a speculation in varieties of potatoes as well as in Merino sheep. 

 Since that time varieties have been discussed in almost every 

 issue of every agricultural journal throughout the northern States. 

 I say varieties have been discussed, but seldom culture. My 

 theme is the "Culture of the Potato," and after this prelude I will 

 take up the subject somewhat in the order that farmers handle it 

 every recurring season. 



1. What we want. 



We want a good lootato for table use, and for the market ; for 

 stock a productive potato is sought for, without much regard to 

 its quality. A potato of fair quality we will have if the season 



