CHAPTER VI 



SEED STOCKS AND VARIETIES 



A VERY frequent question asked by amateurs 

 and others is, "What is the best potato?" 

 The answer is that there is no universally 

 "best" potato, but that certain varieties have 

 proved best for certain conditions, and as con- 

 ditions change, or the varieties change, further 

 changes must be made. 



There are hundreds of varieties of potatoes, a 

 large number of them good under certain con- 

 ditions. This must be determined by experiment 

 and test in the locality in question. 



The origin of a number of the leading varieties, 

 showing shape and relative size, is shown on the 

 accompanying " Pharo's Potato Chart. " The time 

 of maturity is also shown, EE meaning Extra 

 Early; E, Early; Med., Medium, and L, Late. 



Practical results seem to indicate that when po- 

 tatoes are grown under favorable conditions (such 

 as the mountain districts of Colorado, Idaho, and 

 other parts of the West), and when cultural meth- 

 ods are good, they do not "run out" and deteri- 

 orate. 



Lack of care in selecting seed true to type, use of 

 small whole seed and small cut seed, and storage 

 under conditions that lessen vitality, tend to 

 weaken the plant and the strength and size of root 

 system, all of which result in lessened vitality and 

 an inferior "run out" product. 



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