40 



THE POTATO 



cultivate 100 or even 1,000 seedlings before find- 

 ing one which is really worthy of a place among 

 the better varieties already existing. M. Vilmorin 

 says that in France the raising of seed potatoes has 

 been proceeded with in a somewhat haphazard 

 manner; whereas, in England, on the other hand, 

 a more systematic method has been followed, rich- 

 ness in starch, excellence in flavor, power of resist- 

 ing disease, with little tendency to develop haulm 

 (top), being the characteristics we on this side of the 

 channel generally seek. Unfortunately, he says, 

 they are not always able to profit in France by 

 progress realized in England, because the French 

 have a marked preference for potatoes with yellow 

 flesh; whereas in England, for many years past, 

 there has been a preference for white-fleshed pota- 

 toes. On this account even the celebrated Mag- 

 num Bonum, which my house had the honor of 

 introducing in 1876, after having enjoyed a brief 

 popularity in the Paris markets, has been almost 

 aba*Qdoned as a table variety on account of the 

 flesh being too pale in color. M. Vilmorin re- 

 marks that in Germany considerable attention has 

 been given to the raising of seed potatoes, and more 

 particularly with the object of obtaining varieties 

 which are specially adapted for the production of 

 alcohol and starch. " 



Improvement in the potato comes from a search 

 for the ideal. The Irish Farming World says : 



The potato wanted should possess the follow- 

 ing essentials: 



*' (1) It should be a heavy cropper. 



" (2) It should have good table qualities. 



" (3) It should be a good disease resister. 



