Proceedl^gs of the Farmers' Club. 489 



It is right that tliev should be allowed to relate their experience in 

 horticultural and agricultural matters. 



Tiie Chairman. — We always respect their rights, as they are con- 

 nected with the nursery business. [Loud laughter and applause.] 



Yarieties of Potatoes. 



\)y. F. M. Ilexamer, of Newcastle, iST. Y., places two potatoes of a 

 nevv' variety on the table, that people might look at specimens which 

 v.-crij held at iifty dollars a piece. Mr. Albert Bresee, of Ilortonville, 

 Yt., the oi'iginator of the Early Rose potato, was introduced to the 

 audience and exhibited specimens of a new variety, termed Bresee's 

 Xo. 4. This potato originated from the Garnet Chili, the same seed- 

 ball iis the Early Rose, and is claimed to be ready for the table about 

 a week sooner than the Early liose. It has not yet been introduced 

 to any extent, the single tubers being valued at fifry dollars each. 

 Mr. Bresee exhibited also anotlier seedling which he proposes to call 

 the '' Prince of the Early's," like the Iso. 4 above mentioned, which 

 is believed to mature earlier than the. varieties commonly cultivated. 



The merits of the Early Rose were highly extolled by several farm- 

 ers who had raised that variety the past season. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — I think we are running the potato question 

 into the ground. It lias been acknowledged on this iloor to-day that 

 the quality of the Early Rose is not superior to the Peachblow. Tliere 

 is a great error in all this talk about the relative merits of different 

 kinds of potatoes, for the reason that the Peachblow is taken as the 

 standard. The Mercer is a better potato than the Peachblow. 



Mr. Aaron Stone, of Long Island. — In my vicinity we adhere to 

 the Peachblow, as the most profitable and every way the best potato. 



At this point Messrs. Carpenter, Quinn and Crane united in the 

 Btiitement that no farmer could aiford to grow the Mercer, even if it 

 would bring five and six dollars a bushel, inasnmch as it is very lia- 

 ble to rot, and matures so late as to be in danger from froets. 



Mr. J. L. Conover gave some of his experience in the cultivation 

 of tliC Early Rose the past season. He stated that he planted 154 

 bushels of the Early Rose potato, and harvested from this planting 

 fully 1,000 barrels. Some have tried to depreciate the reputation 

 of this variety by saying that it is liable to rot, and may not yield 

 over forty bushels to the acre. My own experience disproves both of 

 these assertions. I used about 250 pounds of Peruvian guano to the 

 acre, on sod ground, and the yield surpassed any other that I have 



