NEW SEEDLING POTATOES., 
51 
reward, and let me add that granting that cotton 
may, by its increased consumption, lessen the 
demand for flax, yet it affects only the lower quali¬ 
ties. John Parker. 
New York , Dec., 1346. 
NEW SEEDLING POTATOES. 
In consequence of the degeneracy of the potatoe 
and its liability to run out, or at least to become 
comparatively worthless, I have been experiment¬ 
ing for six years in producing new varieties from 
seed. From the ravages of a small black bug, my 
efforts for the first two years proved entirely futile. 
The third year, by protecting the very small, tender 
plants with thin bats of tow, for many days after 
they first sprang from the earth, I succeeded in 
growing about twenty, which I also protected from 
the autumnal frosts, as long as they would grow, 
by means of blankets and boards. From these 
plants I succeeded in gathering about three quarts 
of very small tubers, consisting of more than a 
dozen varieties, all sound and healthy, when dug, 
most of which remained so until the time of plant¬ 
ing the next spring. In consequence of severe 
frosts and droughts, it was with some difficulty that 
I succeeded in cultivating them; but I can now say 
that I have on hand, in my cellar, in good and 
healthy condition, about 100 bushels of four-year- 
old seedlings, and about 10 bushels from seeds 
sown last spring ; also a quantity of seed suitable 
for sowing, from my last summer’s crop. 
The distinct varieties in the four-year-old seed¬ 
lings, are now fully developed, the four best of 
which bear among us the following names :— 
“ Buffalo Pinkeye,” “Russeting,” “Rose,” and 
“ American Producer.” During the last two 
years, I have tested these varieties, and for beauty, 
solidity, quality, and productiveness, I have never 
seen nor heard of their equal. The Pinkeye re¬ 
sembles the old potatoe bearing that name, but in 
every particular is superior. For this variety I was 
awarded, at the late State Fair at Auburn, the 
highest premium on seedling potatoes. The Rus¬ 
seting is so called from its resemblance, in color, 
to the russeting apple or pear. It is very hard and 
white in the interior, very early, and of the finest 
quality for the table. The Rose resembles, in ap¬ 
pearance, at the seed end, very much the flower 
after which it is named. The American Producer 
is rather long, with a rough, though healthy skin, 
and is remarkably productive. This variety, as 
well as the rose potatoe, is of fine quality, both for 
the garden and the table, but is more particularly 
adapted for field culture and for feeding. 
As to the productiveness of these four varieties; 
I think that ten bushels planted in go^d soil, with 
proper culture, will produce in a favorable season, 
50 fold. I planted, in a drill, one pinkeye, last 
spring, making of it, thirteen hills, along side a 
row of tomatoes, and as I thought, at a proper dis¬ 
tance from it; but when both began to spread, the 
potatoes were badly shaded. The drought and 
tomatq vines entirely destroyed two hills, and very 
materially injured the whol'e. Notwithstanding 
this, I gathered in the fall from the eleven remain¬ 
ing hills, a full half bushel of beautiful Buffalo 
Pinkeyes. 
Among the varieties from which I first gathered 
my first balls for seed was the long and round 
pinkeye, mercer* kidney potatoe, orange, large 
flesh-colored, peach-blow, and several others. The 
tubers from the seed of the pinkeye have been 
planted in regular succession three times, with a very 
perceptible improvement each year. Among these 
tubers are represented the old pinkeye, mercer, 
rough-skin, flesh-colored, and peach-blow. The 
first year from the seed, the tubers were very small; 
but, during the three succeeding years they have 
materially improved. The vines are very large at 
the roots and spread on the ground much like those 
of the tomato; and while in many fields of the old 
potatoe, not a seed-ball could be found, they were 
very large and abundant on my new varieties, 
bending the stalks to the ground. Among my com¬ 
mon pinkeyes, mercers, flesh-colored, English- 
whites, and orange potatoes; not a single ball could 
he found, although planted in the same field, at the 
same time, and in the same drills with my seed¬ 
lings, with their subsequent culture in all respects 
alike. 
The culture of my seedlings, from the com¬ 
mencement of the experiments, has been but ordi¬ 
nary; yet they have produced abundantly. But 
the greatest improvement is seen in the seedlings 
of 1836. Last spring, I sowed in a bed six feet 
square, about a thimbleful of potatoe seeds which I 
gathered from my seedlings of the fall previous. 
When about as large as small cabbage plants, I 
transplanted into drills prepared for them with a 
light plow. I set them, one in a place, at a dis¬ 
tance of about two feet, and paid particular atten¬ 
tion to their culture. The vines were so small 
when they first sprang up from the soil that they 
could not be seen at any distance; but at the time 
of digging they covered the entire surface ok the 
ground, were very bush} 7 , perfectly green, and as 
large as the round of a common chair. On the 
roots of some of the plants, I counted from 500 to 
1000 tubers, varying from the size of a goose-egg 
down to that of a squirrel shot. From the crop of 
the thimbleful of seeds, I gathered about twelve 
bushels of potatoes, to all appearances perfectly 
healthy. The greatest weight from one vine was 
3i lbs. Among my }-oung seedlings I expect to 
find next fall a rich variety strongly marked with 
purple ground and with white eyes. 
I take great pleasure, not only in these interest¬ 
ing experiments, accompanied as they are with 
entertaining and healthful employment, but in pre¬ 
senting to the public these new products, and at a 
time too when the whole world is so deeply inte¬ 
rested in this subject. It is my intention to give 
this experiment particular attention for years to 
come; and should there be any farmers, city gar¬ 
deners, and others, either at home or abroad, who 
would like to obtain, next fall, seed from my tubers 
of 1846, or the tubers themselves, for the purpose 
of planting or experiment, I shall be happy to 
supply them on reasonable terms, and thus con¬ 
tribute, not only to the pleasure and benefits of the 
purchasers in the delightful experiment in their 
own garden or field, but also in arresting the great 
calamity now, realized in almost every nation on 
the globe. N. S. Smith. 
Buffalo , Dec., 2 8th, 1846. 
