ON THE POTATO 



even the best example of the parental stock. Not 

 only were they superior in size, but they also 

 excelled in symmetry of contour, in whiteness, in 

 uniformity of size, and in productiveness. 



Among the twenty-one discarded potatoes there 

 were, indeed, a few that were not without interest. 

 One variety was red, and not unattractive, but it 

 had not proved very productive, and most of the 

 tubers decayed soon after they were dug. So this 

 variety was obviously unworthy of further atten- 

 tion. Another vine bore potatoes that were pink- 

 ish in color, and having eyes so prominent that 

 the long slender tubers seemed to be all eyebrows, 

 the eyes reaching quite to the center of the potato. 

 Yet another was round and white, but too small 

 to be of any value. 



As between the products of the two exceptional 

 vines, there was not a very marked difference. 

 The tubers from one averaged slightly larger than 

 the other, slightly more uniform in size, just a 

 little smoother and more attractive in appearance 

 — in a word, in every way just a shade better. 



These best tubers were, of course, carefully pre- 

 served, and a considerable crop was grown from 

 them next year by dividing the tubers and plant- 

 ing them in the usual way. And their progeny, 

 multiplied year by year, until they are now gath- 

 ered by millions of bushels each season in all parts 



[279] 



