REPORT OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 45 



Another and very important point should receive the cultivator's 

 attention: this is, to free the soil from any stagnant water, and to 

 have the ground replete with sufficient available material to perfect 

 the crop. Some writers have asserted that the rot was an inherent 

 disease, and that water was an agent in its development. There 

 seems to be some truth in this statement, for I find that potatoes 

 begin to decay first in low or moist places. 



VARIETIES. . 



The kinds of potatoes cultivated in different parts of the country 

 are too extensive for me to catalogue in this paper. I will merely 

 mention the popular varieties that are grown to supply the demand 

 of some of the northern cities. 



Among the early varieties of known reputation are the following: 

 Early Junes, Dykemaus, Algiers, Buckeyes, Davis' Seedling, Jack- 

 son Whites, Pellham's Seedling, (recently introduced and very 

 early). Of the late sorts are the White Mercers, N. J. Mercer, 

 Peachblows, Prince Alberts, Rough and Ready, Western Reds, 

 Carters and Blue Mercers. 



Many varieties that were grown for home consumption and market 

 purposes ten years ago have been since discarded, owing to various 

 causes, such as their propensity to rot, small yield, lateness of 

 ripening, etc. The Mercer potato is probably more subject to rot 

 than any of the above mentioned kinds, still it has such a high 

 reputation for quality and flavor, it usuall}^ bringing the highest 

 market price, its cultivation still continues. The Peachblow, a 

 potato introduced a few years ago, has rapidly gained popularity, 

 and now ranks as a fine quality potato. It grows to a large size, 

 yields paying crops, besides being well flavored. The only serious 

 objection to its culture is that to mature it requires the whole 

 season. With market gardeners this is a great fault; they usually 

 harvest the potato crop early enough to sow spinach, turnips or 

 sprouts, but with the Peachblow this cannot be done. 



The Prince Albert is another variety of recent introduction and 

 now extensively cultivated. It bears difl'erent reputations for 

 quality in different localities. In some districts it is considered 

 fair, in others very poor. All agree, however, to its very large 

 yield per acre. A responsible farmer who has cultivated potatoes 

 for a number of years, told me a short time ago that it would 

 pay him better to grow Prince Alberts and sell them at twenty- 

 five cents per bushel, than to sell Mercers at the usual market 

 price. 



Where the Prince Alberts are grown on a clay loam and the land 

 is in good heart, the quality of the potato is fair. On such soils 



