142 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



adapted in some of their varieties to almost every peculiarity 

 of soil. New kinds are produced at pleasure by planting the 

 seed found in the balls. The tubers obtained in this way will 

 be small the first season, but with careful culture will be 

 large enough the second year to determine their quality, 

 when the best may be selected for propagation. The earli- 

 est are easily designated by the premature decay of the tops. 

 The varieties may also be increased from the seed by hybri- 

 dizing, or impregnating the pistils of one flower by the 

 pollen taken from the flower of another, and in this way 

 some of the best and most valuable kinds have been procured. 

 Such as have no flowers are more productive of tubers, as 

 there is no expenditure of vitality in forming the seed. They 

 may be compelled to flower by removing the small tubers 

 from the stalks as they form. 



THE BEST SOIL for potatoes is a rich loam, neither too wet 

 or too dry; but such as are cool and moist, as those of Maine, 

 Nova Scotia and Ireland, especially if in^rich fresh sod, give 

 the best flavored potatoes and are the least liable to disease. 

 A calcareous soil yields a good potato, and generally a sure 

 crop, and when there is little lime in the soil it should be ad- 

 ded. Salt, ashes and gypsum are excellent manures and in 

 certain instances have astonishingly increased the product. 

 Crushed bones also greatly improve a potato soil. Fresh 

 manures will often unpleasantly affect the taste of the potato, 

 and when necessary to apply it, it should be scattered -broad- 

 cast and plowed in. 



THE SEED chosen should be such as experience has de- 

 cided is best adapted to the soil and the use for which they are 

 to be appropriated. Some are careful to select the most 

 mealy for the table, and plant those which give the greatest 

 yield for their cattle. This is sometimes mistaken policy, as 

 what are best for man are generally best for cattle ; and al- 

 though the farmer may get a much greater weight and bulk on 

 a given quantity of land of one kind, it may still be inferior 

 in fat and flesh-forining materials to those afforded by a smal- 

 ler quantity. Thus of three varieties grown in Scotland in 

 1842, the cwpsgave 133-4 tons per acre, containing 2 9-10 

 tons of starch ; the red dons yielded 14 1-4 tons and 1 5-10 

 of starch ; the white dons 18 1-2 tons and 2 4-10 of starch, 

 and the kidney has even given as much as 32 per cent, of 

 starch. (Johnston.) There is also a difference in the rela- 

 tive proportions of gluten. Of this last, the potato contains 

 in its new and ripe state about 21-4 per cent., which dimin- 



