101 



year ; but late varieties must possess good cropping 

 capabilities to prove profitable. 



Colour, 



The colour of the skin, whether of a red shade or alight 

 yellowish brown, is a point which varies in importance. 

 As a rule, coloured potatoes are not in high favour, 

 though occasionally they are most sought after. At 

 the present time a red potato is very difficult to sell, 

 but the very slight blush of pink on the Beauty of 

 Hebron does not interfere with its sale. The pink 

 and red potatoes are usually associated with the more 

 tender American varieties, w r hich possess good quality 

 and fairly early maturing properties, but a too ready 

 susceptibility to disease. It is more difficult to detect 

 disease in a coloured potato than in a plain one, 

 particularly in the early stages of the disease. 



The Skin. 



The nature of the skin is a point for consideration. 

 Too much stress should not be laid on it, as it is not an 

 absolute guide. As a rule a skin of moderate thickness, 

 which appears slightly flaked so as to form a network, 

 is a good indication of quality. Perhaps the most 

 wonderful network ever seen on a potato was that 

 carried by the Village Schoolmaster, which was very 

 pretty and of a handsome dark russet colour. The 

 quality of this potato was excellent, but it was too 

 susceptible to disease to take an important place in 

 cultivation, especially as it was so delicate that the 



