226 



BREEDING CROP PLANTS 



TABLE LV. RESULTS OP POTATO CROSSES MADE ON THE POTOMAC FLATS, 

 WASHINGTON, D. C. IN 1910 



Improvement Through Seedling Production. Probably no 

 statement could be more illuminating than Stuart's discussion 

 regarding early studies of potato improvement in the United 

 States. The facts here related are taken from Stuart's pub- 

 lication. 



During the period from 1840 to 1847 the wide occurrence 

 of potato blight f ocussed the attention of potato growers upon the 

 need of more resistant varieties. Rev. C. E. Goodrich, of Utica, 

 N. Y., believed this susceptibility to diseases was a result of 

 long-continued asexual propagation. Through the agency of the 

 American consul at Panama, South American varieties were 

 introduced. Goodrich grew seedlings from Rough Purple 

 Chili, one of the introduced varieties, and obtained a new variety 

 which he named Garnet Chili. This new variety was introduced 

 into the trade in 1857. Between 1849 and 1856 Goodrich raised a 

 total of 8,400 seedlings. These experiments had considerable 

 effect on the work of other breeders. In 1861 Albert Bresee, of 

 Hubbardton, Vt., grew a naturally fertilized seed ball produced 

 by Garnet Chili. One of the seedlings produced was distributed 

 under the name of Early Rose. The most careful breeder of this 

 period was C. C. Pringle, of Charlotte, Vt. He selected varieties 

 for crossing because of desirable characters. A variety by the 

 name of Snowflake was one of the best known of his productions. 

 Pringle, in the early seventies, contracted to produce potato seed 

 for $1,000 a pound. 



Numerous varieties, probably resulting from naturally polli- 

 nated seed, were introduced by E. S. Brownell, of Essex Center, 

 Vt. Among the better known of these were Brownell's Best, 

 Beauty, Eureka, and Winner. Among other well-known varie- 

 ties which were introduced about this time was the early maturing 

 variety, Early Ohio. Alfred Reese produced this variety, which 



