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84 



THE ILLmOIS FAEMEH. 



Mae. 



Hon. M. L. Dunlap— .i/y Dear Sir: In reply 

 to your inquiries, ■would say that "Thorburn's 

 Early June" Potatoe was purchased of James 

 M. Thornburn & Co., New York, (among a col- 

 lection ofearly sorts,) as early June. I prefixed 

 the "Thorburn's" to distirguish it from other 

 "Junes." My planting is usually done after 

 the hurry of nursery work is over, and hence I 

 was not very much disappointed that it was not 

 ripe at the time of digging. Subsequently on 

 planting early I found it continued to grow late, 

 being very productive, of large size, white flesh 

 and good flavor, resembling the Carter, though 

 perhaps not quite so good. As it keeps well it 

 may be used the next June, and perhaps in this 

 w&y still be entitled to the name of June. 



Among the sorts sent you with above, was an 

 early one, which I trust has proved as valuable 

 in your section as it has done here. I refer to 

 " Mathews' Early Blue." It is proving with ui 

 the best very early variety in cultivation, com- 

 bining more good qualities than are to be found 

 in any other very early potato. la form it varies 

 from round to long, skin pale blue, flesh white, 

 cooking dry and mealy, good size for an early 

 potato — never known to rot. 



Among late sorts the " Garnet Chili " stands 

 first. This is a seedling of Bev. C. E. Goodrich, 

 of Utica, N. Y., from the rough purple Chili, of 

 large size, roundish, ski^i reddish, nearly smooth, 

 flesh white, cooking dry and mealy, exceedingly 

 productive and free from disease. If you have 

 not this sort, will send you some for trial. 



A. G. Haniobd. 



Waukesha, Wis., Feb. 8, 1861. 



The "Thornburn Early June" is so nearly 

 identical with the "Carter" that nearly every 

 person has pronounced them genuine, but the 

 flesh is a yellowish white, and the eyes not quite 

 SO deep. They are second to the Carter for eating, 

 but being so Very productive, we shall continue 

 their culture. The " Matthews' Early Blue " is 

 most decidedly the best early potato that we have 

 Been. Last spring we threw the "Early June " 

 out in favor of this potato; it is rich, firm and 

 mealy, ripens so early that we cannot reasonably 

 ask for'a better; it yields better than the Early 

 June. 



We are glad to hear that our friend Hanford 

 has a small stock of these to spare. We had 

 thought of getting up a stock of this variety to 

 send out next spring, but we have divided them 

 out among our friends so liberally that our stock 

 is not much beyond our own wants. 



We have another variety sent us by our friend 



H, The Early Manly, which comes in next after 

 the Blue, is more productive ; it is a week ahead 

 of the Neshanick. We grow from ten to fifteen 

 acres of potatoes annually, and have had experi- 

 ence with a large number of varieties. We have 

 planted the Neshanick, or Mercer, the mopt 

 largely, as it always proves saleable, but we 

 shall pa> it less attention the coming season. We 

 have not tried the Purple Chili, but shall do so 

 this season. 



We can recommend the Matthews' Early Blue, 

 Early Manly and Neshanick for early ; Neshanick 

 and Carter for late. Matthews' Early June would 

 pass as first rate was it not for the yellow tinge 

 of its flesh, yet we think it will prove rather 

 popular from its vigor and great yield, beating 

 the Neshanick three to one. Mr. H. has had a 

 large experience with the new sorts, and after 

 winnowing out the chafT, has come to the real 

 grain. Ihe potato rot has given a wide field to 

 humbug, and we would now advise our readers 

 to be cautious, and hold fast to that which is 

 good. We have nearly twenty new sorts on trial, 

 and shall report them as soon as we reach the 

 points. \ 



Sweet Potatoes. — We would call the attention \ 

 of nurserymen and others to the Card of Mr. 

 Allen, in regard to sweet potatoes. Mr. A. was 

 among the first, (formerly of the firm of Ten- 

 brook & Allen), to discover the value of large, 

 well-grown tubers for seed. We had a lot of him 

 three years since, and found them cf excellent 

 quality. The location of Mr. Al'en is a good 

 one from which to get seed. 



We would call Ihe attention of all interested to 

 a worthless variety sometimes palmed off" for the 

 Nansemond — the Northern Yellow. Those who 

 purchase plants are more liable to get bit with . . 

 these. As a very early variety, they have some 

 value, but who would think planting the Early 

 June for a main crop among the Irish potatoes. 



-*mf- 



The Fakmer the Tktje Aeistoceat. — N. P. 

 Willis, of the Home Journal, says : 



" The star of the farmer is on the rise. To be 

 a distinguished man now-a-days, there is no 

 safer or more substantial way than to be an emi- 

 nent agriculturist, successful horticulturist or 

 the like — a Longworth, a Wilder, a Grant, a 

 Johnson, a Dunlap. There is no way for a man 

 to be "looked up to," for the next half century, 

 like being an enterprising and successful farmer, 

 and there is certainly no way to pass life so 

 pleasantly, no vocation so sure to keep him com" 

 pany till he dies." 



