360 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Tlijs testing by acetic acid may be very well, anci we sincerely hope tliat 

 chemists in Baltimore and elsewhere will try it, and if found correct, will 

 adopt it, and cease recommending the mixtures made of valueless, miscalled 

 phosphatic guanos, mineral phosphates, etc., merely because they contain 

 a quantity of nnprogressed mineral phosphates. Many phosphates are now 

 in the market, which are not the residuttm of the excretise of birds. Those 

 phosphates derived from birds are of organic origin, and have value, but 

 we have tried all the kinds thus far imported, and have found the Peruvian 

 and one single importation of Carribbcan imbued with rotten coral or pro- 

 gressed carbonate of lime, to be the only useful guanos, and even these are 

 much less so per pound than true nitrogenized superphosphate of lime, made 

 of burned bones, sulphuric acid, Peruvian guano, sulphate of ammonia- 

 and dried blood,- one hundred pounds of which will equal in value, when 

 both its power and lasting effects are taken into account, one hundred and 

 eighty-five pounds of even the best Peruvian guano. 



To the President and Members of the Farmers'' Club, American 



Institute, New- York. 

 Gentlemen : I beg your acceptance of a sample of the Decaisne potatoes, 

 below described. Of their edible qualities, the accompanying sample will 

 enable you to judge. Allow me to assure you, Grentlemen of the Farmers'^ 

 Club, that they exceed in prolificness all other kinds known to me, and I 

 have found them less subject to decay than any others. 

 I am, gentlemen, very respectfully yours, 



PLINY M. FORWARD. 

 ■ South WICK, Hampden Co., Mass. 



DECAISNE POTATOES. 



The subscriber offers to Gentlemen of the Farmers' Club, samples of a 

 very remarkable potato, recently introduced from Europe. Combining as 

 it does, in a high degree, superior edible qualities, with remarkable prolific- 

 ness, this potato needs only to be known to secure it a widespread popularity. 



The means by which the subscriber came into possession of this potato 

 were as follows : — In the spring of 1856, Dr. D. P. Holton, of New York 

 city, then residing in Paris, and attending lectures at the various colleges^ 

 of that city, heard Prof. Decaisne (Professor of Horticulture at the Gar- 

 den of Plants) give a lecture upon this potato, and in such high terms did 

 he speak of its merits, so flatteringly of its wonderful qualities, that he was 

 indiiced to solicit of the Professor (who politely granted the favor^ a couple 

 of them for a transatlantic friend, to serve as an introduction of them into 

 this country. 



From these two potatoes, of medium size, the subscriber raised about 

 three-fourths of a bushel of potatoes, of large size and of excellent quality, 

 notwithstanding a considerable loss had been occasioned by the depredations 

 of mice. The last year, he raised from scarcely more than a half bushel 

 of the same, and under somewhat unfavorable circumstances, between 24 

 and 25 bushels, large measure. 



