140 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 



raon potato. It grows luxuriantly and produces balls in abundance. A few 

 tubers were sent to three farmers in different parts of the State for trial. 

 Mr. L. D. Watkins, Manchester, writes as follows : 



"The potatoes were planted on first-class farming land, and treated the 

 same as other potatoes. The total yield was twenty-seven and one-fourth 

 pounds [three or four tubers were sent him J. They grew until frost killed the 

 vines. They did not blossom. The five largest tubers weighed twelve 

 ■ounces. Baked, our verdict is that they are of good flavor." 



Mr. W. E. Hale, Eaton Kapids, reports as follows: 



" The wild Mexican tubers were planted about May 12, in a sandy loam, 

 which had been well manured. We cut them the same as other potatoes, 

 placing one and two pieces in a hill. The dry weather did not appear to 

 injure them as much as it did the other kinds, yet it was so dry that they 

 4id not do much until the fall rains came. There were a good many in a 

 hill, but all of them small, yielding about a half peck in all." 



Mr. C. F. Wheeler, Hubbardston, writes : 



" The tubers of the wild Mexican potato sent by you May 7, '87, were 

 planted May 13, in light, sandy soil which had received a good dressing of 

 wood ashes. The tubers were cut into pieces of two eyes each and planted 

 in hills eighteen inches apart, into which was placed a half shovel full of 

 well rotted compost. The plants grew finely, making a large growth of 

 tops, which are not to be distinguished from our cultivated varieties. The 

 ■Colorado beetle made no distinction. The tops were thrifty and green until 

 destroyed by frosts. When dug there were eighty tubers from thirteen hills, 

 the largest of which only measured one and one-half inches in diameter, and 

 altogether weighed sixteen and one-half ounces. They grew at the ends of 

 short, underground stolons, and are very like our common potatoes in 

 appearance." 



The Arizona wild Potato is a distinct species from the potato of our gar- 

 dens. It is known as Solanwni Jamesii. The foliage is fine and peculiar, 

 very unlike that of the ordinary potato. The tubers are very small, dark 

 colored, and usually covered with minute tubercles. Under cultivation it 

 does not yet appear to vary much, although Dr. Beal informs me that many 

 of the tubers he grew this year were somewhat larger and smoother than the 

 parents. Last spring tubers of this singular potato were sent Mr. C. A. 

 Sessions, of Mears, who reports that the drouth prevented the formation of 

 any crop, and to Mr. C. F. Wheeler, who reports as follows: 



"The foliage of Solanum Jamesii is very much like the tomato, except that 

 the leaves are smooth. Its small pitted tubers grow at the ends of long 

 subterranean stolons, setting early, and yielding from ten hills ninety-five 

 small tubers, which weighed eight and one-half ounces. The severe drouth 

 negatived the experiment." 



Solanum Maglia was also grown this year. It was in blossom when killed 

 by frost, September 23. We obtained a few very small tubers. 



The singular Peruvian ulluco ( Ullucus tuherosus), which produces potato- 

 like tubers, was also grown. 



Many questions are asked concerning the variations of tubers in the hills. 

 In order to answer some of these inquiries and to publish facts not generally 

 known, I translate the following selection from Carriere's Production et Fix- 

 ation cles Varieties clans les Vegetaux : 



" Potatoes furnish many examples of bud-variation. Many of our culti- 



