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than a comparison on his own grounds, for from the discrep- 

 ancy between tlie results that some originators state tliey find 

 in a comparison between their seedlings and the standard 

 sorts, and the results that others find when they make the same 

 comparison, it is evident that it is true of seedling potatoes, 

 as with seedling strawberries, new varieties will often do their 

 best on the land where they originated. I would here suggest 

 that it may be a wise step for growers of new varieties to 

 state the kind of soil in which they originated, as the point is 

 not yet settled as to whether or not new sorts do their best in 

 the same soil on which they originated. 



From an experience in testing hundreds of seedlings sent 

 to me from different States, in the course of several years, 

 almost all of them claimed as decided acquisitions, by their 

 sanguine originators, I deduce the following suggestions rela- 

 tive to the various characteristics required in a new seedling 

 before its claim to be admitted as a standard variety should 

 be allowed. Taking them in the order given, the yield, under 

 good cultivation, should be at least two hundred bushels to 

 the acre. Fancy cultivation of small area will at times give 

 a yield of three or four hundred bushels to the acre, when the 

 same variety, on good potato soil, with good average manur- 

 ing and cultivation, will fail of yielding two hundred bushels. 

 The flavor and quality, by which latter word I more especially 

 mean dryness, should be up to such a standard as the Jackson 

 White, or Chenango of olden time. For a standard of shape, 

 a medium between the standard oblong and round varieties is 

 most desirable, as there is the least waste in the paring of 

 potatoes of this form, while a larger proportion of the smaller 

 ones will be marketable. Here let me remark that I have 

 noticed that oblong potatoes that are usually equally large at 

 each end, oftentimes under unpropitious circumstances, grow 

 smaller in the middle than at the ends, which makes any po- 

 tato unmarketable. Another fact noted is that any variety 

 that tapers to a small and rather projecting point where the 



