226 THE HOME ACRE. 



one or more dollars per pound. I amuse myself 

 by trying several of these novelties (after they 

 become cheap) every year, and one season raised 

 very early crops of excellent potatoes from the 

 Vanguard and Pearl of Savoy. The Early Rose 

 and Early Vermont have long been favorites. 

 They resemble each other very closely. I have 

 had excellent success with the Beauty of Hebron. 

 It is a good plan to learn what varieties succeed 

 well in our own neighborhood, and plant chiefly 

 of such kinds; then add to our zest by trying a 

 few novelties. 



Not only much reading on the subject, but also 

 my own observation, and the general law that 

 " like produces like," lead me to indorse the prac- 

 tice of planting large tubers cut into sets contain- 

 ing one or more eyes, or buds. The eye of a 

 potato is a bud from which the plant grows ; and 

 the stronger backing it has, the stronger and more 

 able is the plant to evolve new fine tubers through 

 the action of its roots and foliage. A small potato 

 has many immature buds, which as a rule pro- 

 duce feeble plants. 



The potato will grow on almost any soil ; but a 

 dry, rich, sandy loam gives the best, if not the 

 largest, yield. I do not think the potato can be 

 planted too early after the ground is fit to work. 

 One spring I was able to get in several rows the 



