17 



desirable average size for potatoes for general purposes. The colour should, 

 of course, be typical of the variety, whether white, pink, pink-eyed, or red. 

 The netted varieties, like Uncle Sain and Netted Gem, should be fully covered 

 with thick netting. The skin of all varieties should be corky rather than 

 smooth, indicating maturity. Where different varieties are in competition, 

 the white-skinned are to be preferred above all others. In form, potatoes 

 should be typical of the variety; but the most preferred commercial type is 

 about 4y 2 inches long, 3*4 inches wide, and 2y 2 inches thick, rounded and 

 smooth. The eyes should be few and shallow. There should be no evidences 

 of second growth, and no green ends. Potatoes should be free from blemishes, 

 especially from the fungous diseases, scab, blight, wet or dry rot, fusarium. 

 wilt disease, or rhizoctonia. all of which appear too frequently on show 

 potatoes. There should be no evidence of greenness caused by exposure to 

 the sun. Potatoes must not be hollow. 



Condition is largely a matter of maturity, and all varieties should be 

 reasonably well matured for the season, as evidenced by thickness and tough- 

 ness of the skin and internal evidences. When a knife-blade is sunk into a 

 mature potato it pulls out hard, and the greener and more watery the potato, 

 the easier it pulls out. When cut across, the potato should cut hard. There 

 should be a minimum of water, and watery veins about the centre should not 

 be in evidence. The maturity of potatoes is a very important point. 



Qiuiliti/. While maturity is a big consideration in quality, much depends 

 on other factors. The people of North America want a potato as dry and 

 mealy as possible. The ultimate test, of course, is the baking test, and every 

 show should have a class for six potatoes baked. Quality, aside from maturity 

 and the amount of water present, is indicated by hardness in cutting, by the 

 amount of starch, as indicated by milkiness of the sap when the cut surface 

 is scraped, but chiefly by the depth of the " cortical ring." A very thin slice 

 taken in cross-section from a potato and held up to the light will show a faint 

 line of dots, about % to % inch from the skin. The wider the strip outside 

 this line of dots, the higher the quality, and vice versa. 



Generally, potatoes showing a slight yellowish tinge are of higher quality 

 than those pure white. 



In commercial exhibits, which should be in units, say of either 15-, 50-, 

 or 100-lb. lots, there should be full weight, and the sack or package should be 

 clean and general appearance attractive. In preparing exhibits of potatoes of 

 commercial classes, the great points are correct size, uniformity, maturity, and 

 weight. 



ONIONS. 



Onions should be uniform, especially in colour, size, shape, and maturity. 

 For commercial purposes, the ordinary onion should be about 2% inches in 

 diameter and nearly globular. The colour should be clear and distinct, whether 

 yellow, red, white, or brown. It is most important to have maturity, which 

 is usually the deciding point if there is any reasonable amount of similarity 

 in other respects. Lack of maturity is shown by softness, especially around 

 the stem end, and by the thickness of the stem. Onions should be uniformly 

 hard, with small and thoroughly matured stems. The skins should be dry, 

 firm, and intact. No " double-nosed " specimens should be shown. 



The shape should be typical of the variety. 



Pickling-onions, whether red, yellow, or white, should be firm, smooth, 

 clean, and not over % inch in diameter. 



Shallots should be iy t to iy 2 inches in diameter, very firm and well 

 matured, and of uniform colour. 



