Chap. IX. POTATOES. 351 



and colour, being externally white, rerl, purple, or almost black, 

 and iutorually white, yellow, or almost black. They ditfer }Ji 

 flavour and quality, being either waxy or mealy ; in their period of 

 maturity, and in their capacity for long preservation. 



As witli many other plants which have been long propagated by 

 bulbs, tubers, cuttings, &c., by which means the same individual is 

 exposed during a length of time to diversified conditions, seedhng 

 potatoes generally display innumerable slight differences. Several 

 varieties, even when propagated by tubers, are far from constant, as 

 will be seen in the chapter on Bud-variation. Dr. Anderson'"" 

 procured seed from an Irish purple potato, which grew far from 

 any other kind, so that it could not at least in this generation have 

 been crossed, yet the many seedlings varied in almost every possible 

 respect, so that " scarcely two plants were exactly alike." Some of 

 the plants which closely resembled each other above ground, pro- 

 duced extremely dissimilar tubers ; and some tubers which externally 

 could hardly be distinguished, differed widely in quality when 

 cooked. Even in this case of extreme variability, the parent-stock 

 had some influence on the progeny, for the greater number of the 

 seedlings resembled in some degree the parent Irish potato. Kidney 

 potatoes must be ranked amongst the most highly cultivated 

 and artificial races; nevertheless their peciiliarities can often be 

 strictly propagated by seed. A great authority, Mr. Eivers,"^ 

 states that " seedlings from the ash-leaved kidney always bear a 

 strong resemblance to their parent. Seedlmps from the fluke- 

 kidney are still more remarkable for their adherence to their parent 

 stock, for, on closely observing a great number during two seasons, 

 I have not been able to observe the least difference, either in earliness, 

 productiveness, or in the size or shape of their tubers." 



""» ' Bath Society Agricult. Papers,' '»' ' Gardener's Chronicle,' 1863, p. 



rol. v. p. 127. And ' Recreations in 6+3. 

 Agriculture,' vol. v. p. 86. 



