THE POTATO AND NIGHTSHADE FAMILY. 547 



asserted that it was possible to obtain Potato hybrids by graft- 

 ing the tubers of two distinct varieties together. At the time 

 this was thought by some eminent botanists and horticulturists 

 to be impossible \ but when we note the changes effected in 

 the growth of the stock by buds and grafts worked on it in the 

 case of Laburnum, Jasminum, Abutilon, and Castanea (see p. 

 60), to say nothing of the undisputed influence of the stock 

 on the scion, one can the more readily believe that graft 

 hybrids in the case of the Potato are not only possible, but 

 highly probable, although one would also expect the same 

 thing to occur in the case of Dahlias and Hollyhocks, which 

 are not unfrequently grafted in a similar manner. 



Mr Taylor, of Fencote, states that the variety called York- 

 shire Hero was raised by Mr Almond, by grafting eyes of the 

 Lapstone kidney into an Ashtop kidney, and that he himself 

 has raised Yorkshire Hybrid and others by a similar process. 

 The following is his mode of operation : Two sound Potatoes 

 of different varieties, whose good qualities it is desired to blend, 

 are selected. From one of them all the eyes are first to be cut 

 out with a sharp knife, and then a piece of the tuber in the 

 form of a wedge or some other convenient shape, this being 

 replaced by a scion of similar shape from the other tuber : the 

 scion should have a good eye or two, nicely sprouted, about 

 half an inch long. The two must be tied firmly together with 

 a piece of bast or string, a couple of lady's hair-pins being first 

 run clean through both Potatoes to prevent the tie from slip- 

 ping off, as well as to assist in holding them together. The 

 fit must be a good one, and the rinds of each must meet, as 

 in grafting other plants. The operation must be performed 

 quickly, and the grafted set must be planted as soon as pos- 

 sible. It is best to have the trench opened and manured 

 ready to receive the grafted tubers, and to place them therein 

 and cover them with soil as quickly as possible. Some of the 

 grafts may fail, so that it is best to graft a dozen or more. 

 They will produce rounds and kidneys, pink-eyed and mottled, 

 purples and reds, of various shapes and sizes, some early, some 

 late, some large, some small, according to the kinds which are 

 grafted. All the produce, large and small, must be planted 

 the following year, for until the tubers have been grown it 

 cannot be told whether the varieties are early or late. The 

 early ones are easily discovered by the early decay of the foli- 

 age. The produce of such as look promising by their shape 

 and general appearance should be saved and grown for a year 

 or two until their good or bad qualities are thoroughly proved. 



Mr Fenn, of Woodstock, describes some results obtained by 



