ON THE POTATO 



of the world where this vegetable is grown, con- 

 stitute the Burbank potato. 



INTRODUCTION OF THE BURBANK 



The twenty-three seedlings were grown, as just 

 noted, in the season of 1873. 



The one incomparable member of the lot 

 proved itself in the following season, and gave a 

 goodly quantity of tubers all substantially iden- 

 tical with the original ones and obviously quite 

 different from the usual potatoes then in existence. 



It required no very keen eye to see that a prize 

 had been secured. But I did not at first know just 

 what to do with it. I desired, of course, that the 

 new potato should be introduced to the general 

 public, realizing the economic importance of a 

 potato that would produce two or three times as 

 many bushels to the acre as the ordinary varieties, 

 and at the same time give individual tubers of 

 superior quality. 



But the first dealer to whom I offered the new 

 potato declined it rather curtly, and I had some 

 diffidence about approaching another. Finally, 

 however, I mustered courage to bring the new 

 potato to the attention of Mr. James J. H. Gregory, 

 then a resident of Marblehead, Massachusetts. 



By way of introduction, I sent him a sample of 

 the new potato. 



Mr. Gregory tested the potato by planting it, 



[281] 



