Potato Growing. 



483 



of new varieties, which have enabled ordinary growers to change 

 from worn-out and unprofitable kinds to new and vigorous ones. 

 Their example has been much needed, because there has been 

 little reliable information to be obtained from other sources. 



This point of selection of suitable varieties is of first im- 

 portance. To be profitable a variety must be a heavy cropper, 

 not too delicate for field cultivation (for many varieties admirably 

 suited to the gentle nurturing of garden work fail to be profitable 

 in the field), not succumbing easily to disease, not wasteful in 

 preparation for cooking, cook well (that is, evenly throughout), 

 and be suitable in flavour and colour to the demands of the best 

 markets. A variety may start its career with a high standard 

 in all the above features, but in course of years one or all of 

 these features deteriorate, so that it is no longer profitable to 

 grow. There are occasional instances where potatoes improve 

 after being in cultivation a few years ; this is most often the case 

 where the variety has shown excessive vigour, and has developed 

 too large tubers during the early portion of that period. Tubers 

 beyond a certain size are regarded as being too coarse for the 

 best trade, and in that case they fetch but moderate prices 

 from the baker to use in bread making and from the 

 itinerant baked-potato merchant. It is, however, preferable that 

 a variety should err on the side of coarseness rather than in want 

 of size in its early career. No further illustration of the folly of 

 growing a variety which has passed its prime need be looked for 

 than the persistency of Irish growers in still adhering to the 

 worn-out " Champion." To this is mainly due the recurrence of 

 potato famines. Before the Champion came out they adhered 

 to other worn-out varieties. 



The deterioration of all varieties renders it imperative that 

 new varieties be introduced. The production of a new variety 

 is simple. The seeds contained in the fruit or apple if sown 

 will, if properly matured, grow, and each plant so produced 

 represents a new variety ; but only a few out of many thousands 

 will be worth development. Even when skilful mating is per- 

 formed, the ratio of plants worth developing is exceedingly small, 

 though judicious mating raises the ratio, and ensures some 

 characteristics of the parents being incorporated. As a rule, 

 however, the varieties which prove most valuable are those which 



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