214 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



plants contains many different strains, some being superior to 

 others in productiveness or other characteristics. This fact is 

 based on numerous experiments at several experiment stations, 

 including our own at University Farm. Selections of the 

 Refugee bean, 1,000 to One, the Alaska pea, and several vari- 

 eties of tomatoes, have given many distinct strains, varying 

 greatly in their yielding capacity. It may be of interest to note 

 that this past dry, hot season has upset some of our natural 

 expectations. For example, Earliana No. 10, a high yielding 

 strain of tomatoes, was out-yielded by a supposedly inferior 

 strain, but on the other hand it produced ten more fruits per 

 plant and ripened its fruits earlier. It is apparent that the large 

 number of fruits ripening during the intensely hot, dry weather 

 caused this decrease in yield, but it is expected that, if we have a 

 normal season next year the strain No. 10 will again take the lead. 

 From all facts at hand it seems that one of the most impor- 

 tant lines of investigational work with vegetables is to separate 

 all the commercially grown varieties into their integral compo- 

 nents, eliminate the weakest of them, and preserve only the 

 strongest and most productive. Unfortunately, this work must 

 be continued indefinitely, for weaknesses and other deteriorations 

 continually work their way into varieties. We undoubtedly need 

 new fruit varieties for our climate, but this statement does not 

 apply to vegetables, as we already have plenty of good varieties. 

 It is, however, essential to keep our varieties up to their highest 

 standard. Such work requires lots of money, time, and land, 

 which we do not have, but this should not discourage us, but on 

 the contrary make us more eager to secure the necessities which 

 will make our work more proficient. 



Quantity and Quality in Potatoes. — "Take care of your yields and 

 the quality will take care of itself," says H. J. Lurkins, Michigan's well- 

 known potato grower and authority, and county agent of Berrien County. 

 Mr. Lurkins has grown an average of 454 bushels of potatoes to an acre 

 on a 25-acre field. Hence, his word should carry some weight. Mr. Lurkins 

 believes in planting none but the highest grade of seed from carefully 

 selected stock grown in a seed plot. He manures his ground heavily a year 

 ahead of the time it is put to potatoes. He plows it early in the spring and 

 re-enforces the manure with a suitable well-balanced commercial fertilizer. 

 He says the potato is a lazy plant and must have its plant-food close at 

 hand, if best crops are to be secured. Mr. Lurkins grows 2,000 to 10,000 

 bushels of potatoes every year. His yields are high and his quality is 

 always the best. — J. W. Henceroth. 



