Proceedings of the Faemers' Club. 397 



Commissioner, and we mention them — not so much as original sug- 

 gestions, as by way of expressing our willingness to cooperate 

 with the Department in any plans that may be thought effective 

 toward their removal. We notice that the Koyal Agricultural 

 Society of England has of late offered eleven prizes for essays and 

 reports on subjects of greatest importance to the English farmer, 

 and we cannot but think the example a proper one for the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture in this country to follow. 



" With regard to the manner in which the annual reports are com- 

 piled, we take the liberty of referring your Honor to the system 

 adopted by the State Board of Connecticut. Each year all the papers, 

 lectures, reports and discussions are restricted to a prescribed gene- 

 ral topic. Last year, for instance, the subject was fruit culture. 

 This year, it is neat stock. In this way a series of volumes is at 

 length produced, each one of which is quite exhaustive on one 

 important branch of husbandry, and the whole taken together 

 forms an orderly and well-digested agricultural library. 



"JOSEPH B.LYMAN,) 

 "J. E. SNODGRASS, V Committee." 

 "J. Y.C.SMITH, ) 



Dr. F. M. Hexamer, Newcastle, Westchester county, N. Y., read 

 the following paper on 



THE GERIMINATION OF THE POTATO. 



The eatable portion of the potato plant, the potato proper, is 

 generally classed among the roots; yet, on examination, we find 

 that it has nothing in common with roots, except that it grows under 

 the soil, as most, though not all, roots do. The potato tuber is 

 simply an enlarged subterranean branch, and a careful examination 

 shows a complete analogy with common branches. The starting 

 point of the underground potato branch has no direct connection 

 with the roots of the plant; and sometimes even, tubers will start 

 from branches above the ground. When we dig up a potato phint, 

 at the time the tubers begin to form, the subterranean branches, 

 which afterward become the connecting parts between the main 

 stem and the potato, appear exactly like overground branches grown 

 in a dark place, or like sprouts grown in a cellar. The branch 

 enlarges aliruptly, the sugar contained in its lower part is trans- 

 formed into starch, and we see the potato tuber forming. If left 

 in the ground where it cannot be destroyed by frost, this enlarged 

 branch will stand again in the following spring, and form an inde- 

 pendent plant which, in its turn, repeats the same process. 



