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stem is attaclied, is apt to sport in its form, and is unreliable 

 as a cropper. Another fact is, that while all varieties of pO" 

 tatoes that have had their growth stopped by drought before 

 maturity, make the remainder of their growth when they start 

 anew after a rain, by additions which farmers designate by the 

 word "prongy;" «ome Tarieties are far more inclined this 

 way than others. In size, while it is absolutely necessary 

 that the}^ shall average as large as the average of accepted 

 standards, it is also necessary that the large ones shall not be 

 excessively large, and the small ones not more numerous than 

 those of the average of received standards. The color of the 

 skin is much a matter of fiishion. When the Early Rose first 

 came before the public, man}'' prominent dealers said it would 

 not be accepted, as the public wanted a w^iite-skinned potato, 

 after the style of the Orono. Now I have a letter of inquiry 

 for a potato equally good as a white variety, cultivated by an 

 ■extensive grower, but with a change of the color of the skin 

 to red, as the Early Rose has trained the public to red as the 

 standard of color. Of the eyes, an unusual number, and 

 •especially an unusual depth, is undesirable, from the greater 

 difficult}^ and greater waste to the housewife when peeling for 

 the table. The color of the flesh should be the most snowy 

 white, except it maybe when designed for a Southern market, 

 where I understand the general preference is for a yellowish 

 fleshed potato of a waxy structure. 



HoUowness at the centre, except in overgrown specimens, 

 should be a fatal fact. Good keeping properties demand that 

 they should not acquire bitterness with age, the capacity 

 to keep free from sprouting, other conditions being equal, 

 turning, as far as my experience goes, on the earliness or 

 lateness of the variety. Of the distribution of the potatoes 

 in the hill, compactness is desirable, as the labor of digging 

 is much lessened, and also the liability to cut the tubers. This 

 compactness of the Early Rose, lying in a mass as in a pocket, is 

 an excellent characteristic, while with the Shaker Fancy it is an 



