ORIGINATING NEW POTATOES. 37 



OKIGINATING NEW POTATOES, 



ESSEX. 



An Essay by James J. H. Gregory. 



Since the general prevalence of the disease popularly known 

 as the " potato rot," which virtually annihilated some standard 

 varieties, and so seriously affected the health of others as to 

 render profit in their cultivation precarious, the public have 

 given great attention to the originating of new kinds, with 

 the object of obtaining in these a constitutional vigor that 

 should manifest itself in greater productive powers, better 

 quality of tuber, and greater capacity to withstand disease. 

 The result of these most laudable efforts has been to give, 

 within the past dozen years, thousands of new varieties of 

 potatoes. 



Among these, about two dozen stand out prominently as 

 decided acquisitions, and have nearly replaced all the kinds 

 known previous to that time as standards. How vast a gain 

 these new varieties, from their greater productiveness, have 

 been to these United States, may be inferred from the fact, 

 that an annual difference of but a few bushels to the acre 

 makes au addition of millions of dollars in the agricultural 

 returns. Another fact bearing on the importance to agricult- 

 ure, of encouraging the originating of new varieties, is found 

 in the fact, that, at the present day, most if not all of them 

 appear to be so far weak in their constitutions, that they dete- 

 riorate either in yield, quality, or keeping properties, earlier 

 in their history than was the case with the standard kinds 

 before the dread "potato rot" appeared. There being, there- 

 fore, this necessity for new varieties, it appears but wise 

 that all who make efforts thereto should be informed of such 

 facts as observation and experience have to contribute. It is 

 therefore proposed in this paper to contribute a few facts, 



