Cultivation of the Potatoe. 9 



dish violet, which varies to pale, brownish, or yellowish red ; 

 in others, again, of a whitish yellow. 



The color of the flesh is sometimes yellow, sometimes 

 whitish, or perfectly white, and sometimes slightly tinged 

 with red. 



The several varieties of the potatoe have different times 

 of arriving at maturity ; that is to say, at the state in which 

 the tubers are detached from the maternal plant, and the Ia1> 

 ter dies. 



But the points of difference we have chiefly to consider, 

 relate to the consistence of the potatoe and the quantity of 

 starch contained in it. Some varieties are very spongy, their 

 interstices are filled with water, their specific gravity is small, 

 and they contain but a small quantity of nutriment in a given 

 bulk. 



The flavor of some potatoes is very agreeable; of others, 

 very disagreeable. Some improve by keeping, others are 

 best when fresh gathered. 



Some cook speedily and burst, others resist the action of 

 steam and hot water for a long time. 



Some varieties require a dry soil, becoming quite watery 

 and hollow in the middle when grown on land which requires 

 much moisture; they also secrete water in their cavities. 

 Others, on the contrary, are very small, and are scarcely 

 worth the expense of cultivation when grown on a dry soil. 



Some put out long filaments into the soil ; others press 

 their tubers so closely together, that they show themselves 

 above ground. 



Some varieties thrive particularly well on marshy land, 

 others perish on it, and thrive on an argillaceous soil. 



All these particulars must be taken into account, when a 

 selection is to be made of varieties for cultivation. The cul- 

 ture of a new variety should never be undertaken on a large 

 scale, till a proper trial has been made of it. 



