120 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



as he says, with others, a query what produced this condition 

 of the potato ; and the conclusion arrived at was, that it was 

 the earth-worm, which, it has often been said, is perfectly 

 harmless to the farmer, and not only harmless, but beneficial, 

 as a means by which the aeration of the soil is promoted. It 

 seems, however, that the earth-w^orm is one cause — whether it 

 is the only cause or not, I cannot say — of the scabbiness of 

 the potato. I am sure it was in this case ; and it was a good 

 specimen of the scabbiness to which our friend has referred. 

 Whether there are other agencies producing similar effects, 

 I am not able to say. Perhaps others have had observation 

 and experience on that point. I should not have stated this 

 fact, had it not come under my own observation. I do not 

 doubt that the potato is more or less perfect according to the 

 conditions under which it is grown. An unfavorable condi- 

 tion may be favorable to the working of these worms upon the 

 surface ; but the condition of the soil being good and adapted 

 to the growth of the tuber, I do not doubt is favorable to the 

 propagation of healthy tubers, such as every farmer seeks to 

 grow. 



While alluding to this subject, I will add one other word. 

 A farmer said a few daj'^s ago, " One great defect of farmers 

 in growing the potato, is, that they do not take care to get 

 choice varieties, and then to apply the best culture, and hav- 

 ing done that, then to seek the right market to sell those 

 potatoes." He told me he had no difficulty in selling all the 

 potatoes he had to spare for a dollar a bushel, and those who 

 purchased them would willingly continue to pay that price, if 

 he could have continued the supply. He said to me that 

 one defect among our formers, was, that they did not take 

 care to grow good things under favorable conditions. If he 

 could sell all the potatoes he could furnish for a dollar a bushel, 

 from a town in Middlesex County, he said he did not see why 

 other farmers should be selling theirs for forty, forty-five and 

 fifty cents a bushel. 



Mr. Cheever. About how long was this angle-worm? 



Mr. Wetherell. Not very large. It was rather small ; 

 but evidently, from examination, in the growing state of the 

 earth-worm. 



Mr. Cheever. One, two, three or four inches? 



