Potato Culture. 



preaching very near the Peach Blow 

 in quality. One peculiarity of this 

 potato is, the largest tubers appear to 

 be of as good quality as the small 

 ones. With proper soil and culture, 

 it yields a fair crop ; is quite free from 

 disease ; and its smoothness, high fla- 

 vor, and fine appearance make it much 

 sought after in the market. 



The Fluke, a very late potato, is a 

 great favorite with many who produce 

 for market. Its yield is very large ; 

 and its smoothness and uniformity of 

 size make it altogether a desirable 

 variety. It is generally free from 

 disease. In quality it is rather above 

 medium. 



The Harrison, if it should do as 

 well in the future as it has done in 

 the past, bids fair to become the po- 

 tato for general cultivation. It has 

 yielded in this section, on soil of mo- 

 derate fertility, with ordinary culture, 

 one peck to the hill of uniform-sized, 

 merchantable potatoes. It is a strong, 

 vigorous grower, and very healthy. 

 Its quality, though not the very best, 

 is good. The Willard, lately origi- 

 nated by C. W. Gleason, of Massa- 

 chusetts, is a half-early variety. It is 

 enormously productive, of a rich rose 

 color, spotted and splashed with white. 

 The flesh is white. In form and size 

 it closely resembles the Early Good- 

 rich, its parent. It has not been ex- 

 tensively tested, but certainly promises 

 well. The Excelsior is said, by those 

 interested in its sale, to be very pro- 

 ductive, and of most excellent qua- 

 lity, retaining its superior flavor all 

 the year round. It is claimed that 

 old potatoes of this variety are better 

 than new ones of most early kinds, 

 thus obviating the necessity of having 

 early sorts. The Excelsior is said to 

 cook very white and mealy ; form 

 nearly round, eyes prominent. It has 

 not been much tested out of the 

 neighborhood where it originated. 



But the potato-eater is yet unborn 



who can justly find fault with a pro- 

 perly-grown Peach. Blow. It is pro- 

 nounced by many equal or superior 

 to the Mercer in quality, which is not 

 the fact. It is emphatically a late 

 potato ; and, though it does not yield 

 as well per acre as some other sorts, 

 it is comparatively healthy; and its 

 quality is such that it always brings 

 a high price in the market. In fact, 

 but few other kinds of late sorts could 

 find sale if enough of this kind were 

 offered to supply the demand. Plant- 

 ed ever so early, it keeps green through 

 the heat of summer, and never ma- 

 tures its tubers until after the fall 

 rains, and then no potato does it more 

 rapidly. 



Grown on rich argillaceous soil, it 

 will be hollow, coarse flesh, and ill- 

 flavored ; but planted on such soil as 

 is recommended, it is about all that 

 could be desired. It is a strong, vi- 

 gorous grower; and one peculiarity 

 of it is, that insects will not attack 

 vines of this variety if other kinds are 

 within reach. 



Planted on extremely poor ground, 

 it will, perhaps, yield more bushels of 

 tubers, and those of better quality, 

 than any other variety that could be 

 planted on the same soil. Among all 

 the old or new sorts, perhaps, no po- 

 tato can be found that deteriorates 

 so little in quality from maturity to 

 maturity again. And, in fine, where 

 only high quality with moderate yield 

 are desired, it has few if any supe- 

 riors. 



Many other varieties might be men- 

 tioned ; but the list given includes 

 about all of much merit. New varie- 

 ties are constantly arising, clamoring 

 for public favor, many of which are 

 wholly unworthy of general cultiva- 

 tion. One or two varieties, such as 

 are adapted to the grower's locality 

 and market, are preferable to a greater 

 number of sorts grown merely for va- 

 riety's sake. 



