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THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



vestigial. In the thirteen years not 

 more than thirty large, smooth, round, 

 perfect specimens have reached me. As 

 a result of my efforts during the past 

 summer, I have obtained at a cost of 

 six dollars less than a thimbleful of 

 the seed. 



Now the question is, "What is go- 

 ing to happen to the potato crop when 

 no more seed is obtainable?" Most 

 readers know that what we call the 

 planting of seed potatoes is the plant- 

 ing of pieces of potato to raise a new 

 crop ; it is really but a sort of cutting 

 as one might cut twigs of willow and 

 set them in the ground to produce 

 new trees. Like grafting it produces 

 its own kind. 



But when we plant potato seed it is 

 like planting apple seeds for we do 

 not know what will happen. The seeds 

 seem to become insane and trv to pro- 

 duce a little of everything. Fortunate 

 is the experimenter that finds in the 

 varied potato seedlings some particu- 

 lar form that may be better than the 

 original. I long ago gave up all at- 

 tempt to attain fame and fortune by 

 originating an Early Rose or some- 

 thing equally epoch-making, but I 

 find it interesting to experiment with 

 the seeds and I get kaleidoscopic effects 

 that most conspicuously manifest them- 

 selves about the second or third year. 



These investigations have led to 

 efforts to ascertain where in the Unit- 

 ed States the seed may yet be obtained. 

 T have found a few in western Penn- 

 sylvania and a few more in West Vir- 

 ginia, but perhaps the best in the 

 vicinity of Jefferson. Ohio. 



We request the reader to inquire 

 among the farmers and ascertain to 

 what extent these balls may now be 

 obtained. Here is an extremely in- 

 teresting nature topic, and the interest 

 of which is not lessened by the fact that 

 it is utilitarian. 



Gray's "Field, Forest, and Garden 

 Botany" merely says' under Solan urn 

 tiiherosiiin, "Berries round. . green." 

 Much of interest remains unuttered in 

 those three words. The history of the 

 potato itself is of great interest. The 

 most extensive research leads to the 

 conclusion that the i^otato was not 

 found anywhere on the North Ameri- 

 can Continent before the arrival of 

 Europeans. Dr. Asa Gray and other 

 prominent investigators have reached 



that conclusion. The potato was 

 known to the aborigines and was 

 found under cidtivation in the eastern 

 part of South America, on the heights 

 of Guiana and Brazil and in Chile. 



A number of correspondents have 

 told me that Luther Burbank of Santa 

 Rosa, California, "has plenty." Mr. 

 Burbank throws the will-o'-tbe-wisp 

 clear across the continent to Maine 

 and writes : 



"The reason for the scarcity of potato 

 seed is that the potatoes have been 

 grown from cuttings so long that it 

 has given up its habit of going to seed. 



"It is somewhat difficult to obtain 

 potato seed, but you can probably ob- 

 tain it from some of the nurseries or 

 seed houses in Maine." 



Many other correspondents explain 

 that the matter is very simple and 

 wonder why any one should even raise 

 the question. "You can get all you 

 want away 'down in Maine.' " So, up 

 on the map but "down" in common 

 parlance, to Maine we go. Here is 

 what the Department of Agriculture 

 of the State of Maine says : 



"I do not know of anyone at present 

 who is experimenting in growing pota- 

 toes from seed. The season has been so 

 bad here in southern Maine that I have 

 not seen any mature seed bolls. I have 

 some at home in a little vial, probably 

 several himdred. These are several years 

 old and I do not know whether they 

 would germinate or not. They are either 

 from the Norcross or Clyde both of the 

 Green Mountain type and both very fine 

 potatoes. I have used them for that 

 reason in my own breeding work. I can 

 send these to you, if you desire, and will 

 make no charge for them as I am not 

 certain they will germinate." 



W't have accepted the offer of a few 

 of these "scz'cral years old" seeds. You 

 see how plentiful they are away "down 

 in Maine.'' 



The more extensive the correspon- 

 dence the more one is inclined to agree 

 with the great Dreer seed house of 

 Philadelphia when it writes : 



"We regret to say that we are im- 

 able to furnish you with the potato 

 balls and do not know any source of 

 supply for seeds." 



Readers, this is an alarm cry ! Potato 

 seed is going from this country. There 

 is vet a little to be obtained. All that 



