COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE 211 



BLISS TRIUMPH IN NOBTHEEN NEW YORK 



If Bliss Triumph could be grown in Northern New York our State Depart- 

 ment could give this activity individual instruction, and aid in the selection 

 of strong strains and the elimination of diseases. 



With this in mind Mr. Arthur Leavitt of Gabriels, N. Y., has been induced 

 to purchase a few sacks of Bliss from the field in Maine which Mr. Wortley 

 has succeeded in having rogued. This seed, after being grown in New York, 

 will be grown on Long Island and compared with that from Maine; and, 

 further, the Long Island product from Northern New York seed will be com- 

 pared in the Bermuda Islands under actual commercial field conditions, to 

 the Long Island product from Maine. 



Should New York be successful the movement will be fostered and the 

 potato developed in strength by a tuber unit system or some suitable modi- 

 fication thereof. Opportunities are presented for supplying not only Bermuda 

 trade, but also our own southern trade, so that much interest is centered on 

 the outcome of this experiment. 



EXPEBIMEXTS IN CONNECTION WITH FIELD INSPECTIONS 



It was soon found necessary to obtain data as to the behavior of the vari- 

 ous classes of disqualified types, so that inspection findings could be more 

 definitely formulated. As a step in this direction samples sufficient for con- 

 clusive tests of the different types illustrated in the following figures were 

 secured. 



Of Mosaic, three types were noted. Their relation in size and yield is illus- 

 trated in Fig. 3. Enough seed of each type was selected to give reasonable 

 plots for experimental purposes. 



Figs. 4, 5 and 6 represent the abnormally good ; the good, and the fair 

 plants. Seed of each of these types was also secured. 



The plants indicating inherent lack of vigor only showed two types: the 

 larger, which for convenience might be termed Type A, and the smaller Type 

 B. Fig. 7 represents the A type. Fig. 8 is a contrast of these two types, the 

 A type being on the bottom, while the smaller, or B type, is on the top. 

 One constant character that seems to accompany all weak stock is that of the 

 tubers being set close to the stalks. In Figs. 7 and 8 this is very apparent. 

 Plants of strength usually set thin tubers a comfortable distance from the 

 stalk, and have spread as can be noted in figure four. About a bushel of 

 each of these two types was obtained. The experiments, then, in the course 

 of determination are as follows: 



1. Abnormally pood hills illustrated by Fig. 4. 



2. Good hills illustrated by Fig. 5. 



3. Fair hills illustrated by Fig. 6. 



4. Larger (Type A) inherent lack of vigor Fig. 7. 



5. Smaller (Type B) inherent lack of vigor Fig. 8. 

 Larger 



6. Medium 

 Small 



types of Mosaic shown in Fig. 3. 



7. Good strong seed planted on poor soil and injured by adverse growing condi- 

 tions to determine whether the yielding ability when again placed in suitable environ- 

 ment has been seriously impaired. 



The results of these experiments will be available this coming January. 



