82 POTATO CULTUKE. 



with whole small seed. Of course, I consented, but on con- 

 dition that he would divide the land in the fall and not the 

 potatoes, and give me my share from where the one-eye seed 

 was used. He readily agreed to this ; but at digging- time 

 he was almost angry when I held him to his bargain. I had 

 seen to it that the conditions for success were present for 

 such fine seed, and the one-eye seed gave the best returns, 

 particularly in size and uniformity. 



Well, we kept at work in the same line until we had whole 

 fields and thousands of bushels growing according to our 

 notion. Shall I tell you about some of the first good laughs 

 we had V 



Potatoes were very low, and slow sale, folks said. About 

 the middle of July I took a sample of large fine ones (we had 

 no other kind), in the buggy, and wife and I drove to Akron 

 twelve miles. I spent all day trying to get an order for a 

 load at 40 cts. Finally one man said if I could bring a load 

 equal to that sample he would take them. He was sus- 

 picious. He kept the sample. When did I laugh V Why, 

 when he saw the load, and said, " There, gentlemen " (to 

 passersby), " is something finer than you ever saw in this 

 market before." When a neighboring grocer came to me, 

 not I to him, and wanted a load, when I could not possibly 

 keep up with orders, while at no time did common potatoes 

 sell for more than 25 cents a bushel, then did I laugh all the 

 way home, and wife and I after I got home. Yes, we did. 



Again, the Snowflake potato came around. Every one 

 wanted them ; but as ordinarily planted they grew too small. 

 They, like the Freeman, are inclined to set too many, any 

 way. But they were well suited to my one-eye cutting. I went 

 to growing them largely. When I uncovered the first load on 

 Market St., in Akron, and the grocers crowded around me, 

 and I set my price with a little fear that I had put it too high, 

 and quicker than a flash one man said, u I want 500 bushels ; 

 here is $50; " when another man took 1000 at 15 cts. a bushel 

 above market price ; when I had unloaded my load, and the 



