332 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



seed is a quality which most of our cultivated varieties have 

 almost entirely lost. This change is thought by some to 

 indicate a loss of vitality or constitution, but I do not so re- 

 gard it. Nature makes it a rule to get rid of useless parts. 

 A "bald and toothless" future is foretold by some as a 

 penalty for our increasing use of soft foods and close felt 

 hats. Some think the little toe is doomed. In a state of 

 nature the potato was doubtless often propagated from seed; 

 the ability to make seeds was useful to the species. Under 

 the care of man, seed propagation is infrequently resorted 

 to, propagation from tubers the almost invariable rule ; ac- 

 cordingly, nature turns the energies of the plant towards 

 tuber and not towards seed production. The orange in 

 Japan, from long propagation by grafting and budding, is 

 almost always seedless. The trees are yet vigorous, long- 

 lived and productive. 



The horse-radish seldom or never produces seeds, its 

 vigorously spreading roots sufficiently providing for its 

 multiplication. No one will accuse the horse-radish of lack 

 of vitality or constitution. 



It is certainly true that varieties run out, and possibly 

 true that the potato is now more subject to disease than 

 formerly, — certainly disease is more common; but the 

 failure to produce seed is net evidence of this change. 



The potato was found under cultivation at the time of the 

 discovery of America by Columbus, but De Candolle thinks 

 it had not been cultivated long. 



Of course you are all aware that the potato is an im- 

 portant crop among us, but it may not be equally well 

 known that it is relatively far less prominent and important 

 here than in many other countries. In Germany the crop 

 is raised in enormously greater quantity than in the United 

 States; and even the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 

 Ireland usually raises more potatoes than this entire country. 

 Thus, in'1893, we raised 183,034,203 bushels and the United 

 Kingdom 215,853,000 bushels. Our crop in that year, how- 

 ever, was a little below our average, while that of Great 

 Britain was slightly above the average. This year we have 

 raised a far larger crop. 



