142 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



Their size, however, was small, as if our summer 

 had been too short for their full development. 



In the spring of the same year (1883) I received 

 another lot from Chile. These appeared to be a 

 different variety from the first lot, but afterwards 

 turned out to be the same. They were planted at 

 the same time as the others ; but they yielded a 

 smaller crop than those that had been a year longer 

 in this country, and were also slightly toviched by 

 disease. 



I now come to the results for the present year. 



Mr. Boyd, our Secretary, reports as follows : 



''Report on Chilian Seed-Potatoes^ grown at Seainill, 

 West Kilbride. — Most of the Chilian potatoes which 

 we dug last autumn were preserved and planted 

 again this spring in our garden, along with the 

 ordinary home varieties; and I am glad to be able to 

 report that in all respects the result attained this 

 season shows a marked improvement over that of 

 last year. There is a much smaller proportion of 

 under-sized tubers, — indeed the yield compares favour- 

 ably, as regards both size and number, with the 

 ■common garden sorts. While a little disease may 

 be detected here and there on some of the tubers, 

 the majority of them appear to be quite sound. As 

 regards the quality, we boiled a few of those grown 

 last year, and found them to be very firm, but 

 apparently somewhat immature. Those grown this 

 year, however, have improved very much in quality, 

 as their flavour is more agreeable and their consistence 

 more 'mealy' than the former season's crop. I am 

 sorry that no details of weight, &c., have been kept; 

 but there has been a decided increase in the yield, 

 as we have now sufficient tubers to fill a good-sized 

 hamper. Although the ' shaws ' when growing 

 differed somewhat in appearance from those of the 

 -common sorts, their size was not nearly so conspicu- 

 ous this year as last; and the growth of the plants 

 seems to have been more underground than above, 

 resulting in diminished shaws and larger tubers. 



