24 LUTHER BURBANK 



When they peeped through the soil there were just 

 twenty-three young potato plants. They were often vis- 

 ited, and accurate observations regarding rapidity of 

 growth, height and size of stalk, shade of color, shape 

 and number of leaves, etc., were made. Each plant was 

 carefully labelled and numbered. 



When it was time to dig the potatoes he found a few 

 tubers in each hill. They were of different sizes, colors, 

 and shapes. Some were about the size of a hen's egg, 

 others as large as an ordinary potato. The potatoes in 

 hills numbered fifteen and seventeen were much better 

 than the rest. The tubers of number fifteen were the 

 largest, of uniform size, and were pure white, and together 

 weighed three and one-fourth pounds. There were twenty- 

 three new varieties, but only seven of these were saved 

 for future planting; all the others have been lost to culti- 

 vation. Some of these, by further trial, might have pro- 

 duced potatoes of importance. One that was discarded 

 was bright red, one was pink, another pink with white 

 eyebrows, while in another the eyes reached nearly to the 

 centre of the potato. To-day the master would save all 

 for further training. 



An agricultural fair was held in the neighborhood, and 

 Burbank decided to exhibit his products. A long table 

 was reserved on which he placed some of the finest beets, 

 carrots, cabbages, pumpkins, squashes, tomatoes, and 

 watermelons that had been produced in the Bay State, 



