POTATOS. 
401 
few years of their existence; but where judicious crossing of the 
best known varieties is undertaken we can in a great measure 
combine in some of the resulting seedHngs the merits of both 
male and female parents, although even then no two seedlings 
from the same berry may be exactly alike. 
Those who attempt to raise seedling Potatos must possess 
abundant patience. Like many other species which are not 
habitually multiplied by seed, the Potato has a remarkable 
No. 8. — Pistil of Potato No. 9. — Anthers closed abound Stigjia, also 
Flower. (Enlarged.) expanded. (Enlarged.) 
Fig. 37. 
tendency to revert to the wild form. It may be necessary 
to cultivate 100, or even 1,000 seedlings, before finding one 
which is really worthy of a place amongst the better varieties 
already existing. M. Vilmorin says that in France the raising of 
seed Potatos has been proceeded with in a somewhat haphazard 
manner; whereas in England, on the other hand, a more syste- 
matic method has been followed, richness in starch, excellence of 
flavour, power of resisting disease, with little tendency to develop 
haulm, being the characters we on this side the Channel generally 
