296 LUTHER BURBANK 



The one incomparable member of the lot 

 proved itself in the following season, yielding a 

 large quantity of tubers, all, of course, identi- 

 cal with the original ones and obviously better 

 and quite different from the usual potatoes then 

 in existence. 



It required no very keen understanding to 

 know that a prize had been secured. I desired, 

 of course, that the new potato should be in- 

 troduced to the general public, realizing the 

 economic importance of a potato that would 

 produce two or three times as many bushels to 

 the acre as the ordinary varieties then known, 

 and at the same time produce individual tubers 

 of superior quality. 



But the first dealer to whom I offered the new 

 potato declined it rather curtly, and I had some 

 diffidence about approaching another. Finally, 

 however, I mustered courage to bring the new 

 potato to the attention of Mr. James J. H. 

 Gregory, then a resident of Marblehead, 

 Massachusetts. 



By way of introduction, I sent him a sample 

 of the new potato. 



Mr. Gregory tested the potato by planting it, 

 and was so pleased with the result that he sent 

 word next season that he would be glad to talk 

 with me. Accordingly, I went to see him. I 



