152 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Six varieties, as will be seen, gave yields at the rate of be- 

 tween 100 and 200 bushels per acre. These, mentioned in 

 the order of least productiveness, are the following : Stevens, 

 148.3 bushels; Livingston, 161.8 bushels; All the Year 

 Round, 165.9 bushels; Early Carmen, 170 bushels; Ho- 

 noeye Rose Seedlhig, 177.4 bushels; Early Pioneer, 185.7 

 bushels. Three varieties have given yields at the rate of 

 under 100 bushels merchantable tubers per acre, viz. : 

 Smith's Six Weeks, 65.3 bushels; Ford, 73.5 bushels; The 

 June, 77.8 bushels. The last three varieties would seem 

 beyond a doubt to be very inferior in productive capacity, 

 and probably not worth cultivation. The varieties giving 

 3'ields at the rate of between 100 and 200 bushels to the 

 acre are, with one exception, well above 150 bushels; and, 

 although giving much below the average yield for this 

 season, they cannot be unreservedly condemned for lack of 

 productiveness. 



It may be remembered that in every test of varieties 

 which has been made by this department of the Hatch Ex- 

 periment Station the Beauty of Hebron and the Early Rose 

 have been included. They have always ranked high in 

 productiveness. This year it will be noticed that the 

 Beauty of Hebron (first generation from Maine-grown 

 seed) stands at the head, that the second generation from 

 Maine-grown seed is next (although equalled by one other 

 variety) , and that the Early Rose is onl}'^ seventh in the list. 

 These facts constitute a striking commentary upon the claims 

 which are usually made for new varieties. It is firmly be- 

 lieved that it is much wiser that potato growers shall secure 

 seed of standard varieties grown and stored under the best 

 conditions, than to pay high prices for new varieties, which 

 in so many instances when carefully tested under the fairest 

 possible conditions are found not to equal the older sorts 

 either in productiveness or in quality. In our experience 

 seed grown in northei'n Maine has invariably been found to 

 be superior to that of our own pi-oduction, even in the first 

 generation. The Maine seed gives the larger yield, and 

 the crop is somewhat earlier. It usually costs somewhat 



