THE POTATO 63 



to the various wild species found in the American 

 continent, preparatory to hybridizing experi- 

 ments in which these wild species might be used. 

 As a result of his investigations, detailed in his 

 * Review of the Tuber-Bearing Species of Solanum, ' 

 he recommended the crossing of the cultivated 

 varieties with the Darwin potato, Solanum Maglia, 

 from the Chonos Archipelago, and the Uruguay 

 potato, Solanum Commersoni. Lord Cathcart fur- 

 nished specimens of the S. Maglia to the Messrs. 

 Sutton for crossing purposes, but the produce 

 obtained from crossing the best cultivated varieties 

 with the S. Maglia were far behind in appearance, 

 crop, and quality. The cross with the Commer- 

 soni was attempted year after year, but without 

 success. 



*' During these years of investigation and experi- 

 ment, however, the hybridizer, like the school- 

 master, had been abroad. Many excellent new 

 varieties were brought out by the Messrs. Sutton, 

 whose name is synonymous with excellence and 

 quality in every department of farm and garden 

 seeds. Numerous other enthusiasts in the same 

 line added their quota to the national stock, but 

 all through the '80's the Champion and the Mag- 

 num continued to hold the leading places. But in 

 England in particular the crops were often very 

 disappointing. The English growers had not then 

 learned the lesson so well known by the early 

 Scotch growers of getting a change of seed from 

 the colder and later climate of Scotland. 



"In the end of the '80's public attention began 

 to be attracted to the new varieties raised by Mr. 

 Findlay, then of Markinch, Fifeshire. His first 

 success was the Bruce, which gave excellent 

 results for a time. Later on he followed with the 



