382 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
MAY 16 
WHENCE COMES POTATO FLAVOR? 
The Soil, the Seed, or the Fertilizer? 
THK QUESTIONS 
1. Does the flavor of potatoes depend, much upon the soil 
in, which they arc grown? 2 What kind of soil pro¬ 
duces the finest and what the poorest flavored pota¬ 
toes? 3 Does an excess of water in the soil injure the 
flavor of potatoes ? 4 Isa potato ever poorly flavored 
that cooks “ dry and. mealy?” 5 Can experts recog¬ 
nize familiar varieties of the potato hy their flavor? 
Some Dry and Mealy Answers. 
1 . Yes, to a degree. 2. Wet muck or heavy clay Is the 
poorest; good loam with some clay the best. 3. Yes. 4. 
Yes; sometimes they have a disagreeable sweetish taste. 
MAly potatoes certainly vary in flavor; the old “Che¬ 
nango ” was typically good. J. J. H. GREGORY. 
Essex Co., Mass. 
Does Starch Stiffen the Flavor? 
For some time I held the opinion that the flavor of pota¬ 
toes is chiefly dependent upon their starch content, and 
that the more starch and the less water they contain, the 
milder and more agreeable their flavor. Recently, how¬ 
ever, some samples of potatoes were submitted to me 
for trial upon the table. They cooked fairly dry, and were 
decidedly flaky when baked, and the flesh was of a pure 
white color, but, to my surprise, the flavor was decidedly 
bad. There was no indication that it had been absorbed 
from anything else, because there was a car load of the 
lot, and I was informed that they all had the same peculiar 
earthy flavor which caused them to be rejected by all who 
had sampled them. I was unable to learn their history. 
The variety was not certainly known, but they had been 
bought for Beauty ol Hebron, and there was nothing in 
their appearance to deny this. Mr. F. A. Heubner, a very 
intelligent potato specialist of Manitowoc, Wis., tells me 
tnat the flavor of potatoes is not necessarily dependent 
upon their starch content, and that tubers produced from 
seed are always inferior in flavor for the first generation 
or two, though their starch content is as high the first 
year from seed as it ever is, under the same conditions. I 
believe it is perfectly well established that the quality of 
potatoes of the same variety grown on different soils is 
often very different; but I had until recently believed that 
the variation was chiefly due to differences in the water 
supply of the soil which produced a corresponding varia¬ 
tion in the starch content. E. 8. GOFF. 
University of Wisconsin. 
What Is the Best Soil? 
1 . I believe that nothing is surer in agriculture than the 
fact that the edible quality of potatoes is greatly affected 
by the soil in which they are grown. This is so much the 
case that tubers from certain soils are practically unmer¬ 
chantable. 2. A rich, light soil, or a fine loam, not very 
retentive of water, gives the best flavored potatoes, and 
also the nicest in appearance, which is an important ele¬ 
ment in salability. But there are some of the heavier 
soils which are, when properly drained and tilled, good 
potato land. Without being very familiar with that class 
of land, I may say that I have seen very good and mer¬ 
chantable potatoes grown upon a friable lime clay, espe¬ 
cially when newly cleared. New land, other things being 
equal, always gives the best potatoes and the largest 
crops. 3. Excess of water in a soil will utterly prevent 
potatoes from growing. On my own land a heavy rain, 
which flowed the lower part of a potato field for two or 
three days, killed every plant. But when this does not 
occur, an excess of moisture in the soil is fatal both as to 
quantity and quality of the crop. 4. Yes. 5. With some 
varieties decidedly ; in others not so certainly. Sorts of 
the same family will closely resemble each other in flavor, 
as a rule. T H. hoskins. 
Orleans Co., Vt. 
What Is Meant by “Flavor”? 
In my answers to these questions I understand that you 
mean by “flavor” some distinctive taste, or odor, that 
may be possessed by different varieties, and which has 
nothing to do with their physical or chemical character¬ 
istics. When we speak of the “ quality ” of potatoes, we 
include flavor with mealiness and other noticeable pecu¬ 
liarities. From this standpoint I answer as follows: 1. 
No. It seems to me that “ flavor ” is inherent in the va¬ 
riety, although, of course, it is modified by the surround¬ 
ings and conditions under which the potatoes are grown. 
2 and 3. An excess of water in the soil causes the potato 
plant to develop under abnormal conditions, and the flavor 
of the tubers is injured. A well-drained but retentive 
sandy loam gives potatoes of the best flavor for opposite 
reasons. 4 Yes. 5. I know of no one who has given the 
matter of “flavor” much attention, but from the marked 
differences in flavor of certain varieties, it is probable 
that, with a little experience, familiar sorts could be recog¬ 
nized by flavor alone. L. R. TAFT. 
Michigan Agricultural College. 
Some Kansas Notes. 
The flavor of potatoes is governed to some extent by the 
soil in which they grow. Those in light, porous soils 
are better flavored than those in light, soggy soils. Excess 
of water injures the flavor. A dry, mealy potato may still 
have a “rank,” unpleasant taste. Within narrow limits, 
experts can recognize familiar varieties by their flavor. 
Wyandotte Co., Kan. Edwin taylor. 
Fertilizers More Important than Solis. 
My experience in regard to the flavor of potatoes is con¬ 
fined almost entirely to a study of the differences in qual¬ 
ity due to different methods of manuring, which formed 
the basis of a series of experiments the past season. The 
main object of the experiments was to determine the effect 
of the different commercial forms of potash salts upon 
the yield and quality of the tubers. Three experiments 
were carried out upon farms differing materially in the 
character of the soil, fertility and previous treatment : 
1 , a light, sandy loam, with a rather tight, gravelly sub¬ 
soil, and poor in fertility; 2, a moist, clayey loam, open sub¬ 
soil, and medium fertility; 3, a rather heavy clay loam, 
with tight reddish clay subsoil, and in a high state of cul¬ 
tivation. On two of the farms Early Rose Potatoes were 
planted; on the third White Star. The plots in all cases 
were one-twentieth of an acre in area, and in each experi¬ 
ment three plots were unmanured, upon which the yield 
was quite uniform, and the average of which ranged at 
the rate of 50 bushels per acre on farm No. 1 to 135 bushels 
on No. 3, showing a wide difference in fertility. One plot 
in each experiment was treated with barnyard manure at 
the rate of 20 tons per acre. Nine other plots were treated 
with the same amount and form of nitrogen and phos¬ 
phoric acid, of which six plots or three plots in duplicate 
received potash in addition ; one in the form of sulphate, 
another in the form of muriate, and the third in the form 
of kainit, the amount of actual potash applied was the 
same in each case. At the time of digging suitable sam¬ 
ples for analyses were taken from all the plots in each ex¬ 
periment, and their quality determined by a chemicd 
examination. 
The results secured showed : 1, that all of the manures 
used increased the water in the potatoes; that is, the pota¬ 
toes from the unmanured laud were the driest without re¬ 
gard to the variety or character of the soil; and, 2, that 
the form of potash used exerted an influence upon the 
water content of the potato, since it was shown that of the 
potatoes grown on the fertilized plots, those treated with 
sulphate of potash contained the least water; those 
with muriate were the next in order, and those treated 
with kainit contained the highest amount of water, the 
results from the yard manure being almost identical with 
those from the muriate. The analyses also showed that 
the increase in the water was, with one exception, accom¬ 
panied by a corresponding decrease in the starch. Since 
potatoes are composed largely of starch and water, their 
quality would, according to analyses— i e., lowest water, 
highest starch—stand in the following order of excellence 
I q reference to the different treatments: 1, from un manured 
plots; 2, from sulphate of potash ; 3, from muriate of 
potash ; 4, from yard manure, and, 5, kainit. 
From the standpoint of increase in yield the order was 
as follows : 1, muriate of potash ; 2, sulphate of potash; 
3, kainit, and, 4, yard manure. It is seen, therefore, that 
the largest yield was not accompanied by the highest con¬ 
tent of water in the potato. The study of quality as indi¬ 
cated by taste and appearance, when cooked, was also 
attempted, though it was believed that owing to the small 
number of observers, the influence of the personal equa¬ 
tion would be too great to render the results of particular 
value. The potatoes from all the plots were properly 
boiled under equal conditions, and proved dry and mealy ; 
from appearance alone none would have been considered 
of poor quality. Yet there was no difficulty in detecting 
marked differences in flavor; those from the sulphate 
plots were superior to all the others ; those from the yard 
manure were next in order; the unmanured next; then 
the muriate, and, finally, the kainit—again a change in 
the order. The excellence of those grown with the sul¬ 
phate was so marked that, in order to eliminate any pos¬ 
sible prejudice of parties knowing the circumstances, 
persons of broad intelligence and trained observers in 
other lines were invited to express their opinions as to qual¬ 
ity of the different samples; the results from their obser¬ 
vation confirmed our own selections in every case, and 
were in the order above given. This study would seem to 
indicate : 1, that the quality of the potatoes was influenced 
by the fertilizers used rather than by the character of the 
soil; 2, that potatoes may be dry and mealy and still exhibit 
great differences in quality ; and, 3, that a high content of 
dry matter, and consequently a high content of starch, 
while important, are not the only factors which determine 
the table qualities of potatoes. Our time has not yet al¬ 
lowed of a full examination of the cause of the fine, nutty 
flavor of the potatoes grown on the sulphate plots, though 
the chemical composition pointed to a possible explana¬ 
tion, viz., that they contained a higher content of crude 
albuminoids. It has been shown by previous investiga¬ 
tions in this line that all of the nitrogen in potatoes is not 
in the form of true albuminoids ; it is quite probable that 
the addition of sulphate may have aided in their forma¬ 
tion, and hence improved the flavor. The results are in¬ 
teresting both from a scientific and practical standpoint, 
and the whole subject is worthy of further investigation. 
New Jersey Experiment Station. E B. voorhees. 
“ ANTONIO” AND VICK’S PERFECTION. 
Under “ What Others Say” in The Rural of February 
7, we are told: 
“Vick’s Perfection is a new intermediate potato, re¬ 
sembling in shape and color the Early Rose. In quality it 
is little short of ‘Perfection,’ as our report, soon to appear, 
will show. 
“ The Red Apple Tomato (Ferry) seems an excellent vari¬ 
ety in every way. 
“ The McCollum Hybrid (Vick) is a smooth, handsome 
tomato, but rather late, according to our trial in 1889.” 
Will The Rural permit me to say a few words upon 
these remarks—not in the way or spirit of controversy on 
the one hand, or of corroboration on the other—but based 
upon my own experience? 
I bought the Vick’s Perfection Potato last spring, with 
the hope and in the belief that in it I could “go one better” 
than the Early Rose. The latter had just about “ run out” 
in our New Jersey soil—especially on account of the blight 
of 1889—and I was after something else for a “ stand-by ” 
or general-purpose potato. I liked the way the Perfection 
was advertised in the catalogue—that is, the sound of the 
language—and so I bought a peck. They cost two dollars 
last year, or four times as much as they cost this season, 
and I felt pretty well out-o’-pocket when they came. I cut 
and cut, eyed and eyed, and planted. They had a good 
piece of ground, and I told the boys to lavish a shovel¬ 
ful of stable manure on each hill. When they 
came up they looked scared, and seemed to be in no 
hurry to set to growing as other potatoes did. Now, 
perhaps, I am not right, but I think that slowness 
of starting made stocky tops. At any rate the tops were 
thick stemmed, vigorous and not spindling in the least. 
I have seen finer looking plants, but, taken all in all, they 
looked strong and healthy. We dug a hill or two about 
July 20, and reckoned they would be ripe in about a 
moDth, with the right kind of weather. 
I had an Italian working for me, who unfortunately 
couldn’t talk or understand English very well. The first 
Monday in August wife and I went to the city, and 
directed Antonio to dig enough of the Perfection Potatoes 
for dinner. When we returned we found the entire plot 
dug 1 So I cannot give any figures on yield. But though 
they weren’t more than three-fourths grown, there were a 
good many in a hill, and in quantity they were ’way ahead 
of the White Star, the White Superior, or the Green 
Mountain. They grew in a bunch,—a longish, white po¬ 
tato, with rose-pink around the shallow eyes. They 
didn’t resemble Early Rose at all. 
Now just a word about McCollum’s Hybrid Tomatoes. 
The Rural tells us they are “rather late.” That is so, 
if one lets them have their own sweet way. But “ force ” 
them, as we do the Paragon and others of that class, and 
they are as early as any others. They grow large,—as 
large as the Trophy and Livingston’s Favorite. They are 
smooth, with solid flesh, scarlet color, equable ripenincr, 
fairly prolific, fine in grain (“mealy,” our folks call it), 
and of good flavor. I call this a model tomato. A c V. 
Raritan, N. J. _ 
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN ENGLAND. 
Bull-doggedness of John Bull; slow to start, but death to 
hold on; national technical including agricultural 
education supported by rum-mills; existing educa¬ 
tional institutions and machinery to be utilized to 
teach agriculture; scope of instructions; dairy hus¬ 
bandry likely to be specially benefited; all classes and 
ages to participate; a great national undertaking. 
It has been said, but with what measure of accuracy my 
ability and inclination debar me from saying, that we 
English people, from whom so many of you Americans 
have been evolved, are decidedly persistent when once we 
take a project in hand, though we are generally late In 
making up our minds. “ Soon ripe, soon rotten,”—if I may 
be allowed to use an expression not unknown in America 
—does not, therefore, exactly apply to our ideas about the 
practical business of life. Our national nickname is “ John 
Bull,” and we are said to be “ dogged ” in our determina¬ 
tions,—are we therefore to infer that we have in us some¬ 
thing of the bull-dog, which, once he gets hold of anything, 
haDgs on fora while ? This may be so, and we may venture 
to hope that it really is, in reference to the subject and 
project on which this article is based. It may at all events 
be admitted that we are late in making up our minds 
about it, that our people have demanded it for many years 
and that we have not taken It up in anything like a 
systematic and comprehensive way until it has become at 
last a matter of supreme national importance. The same 
sort of procrastination was long indulged In with regard 
to the establishment of a National Department of Agri¬ 
culture under the control of a responsible Minister of the 
Crown. This department is now an accomplished fact, 
and it is doing good work in various ways, specially in 
reference to contagious diseases against which the animals 
of the farm required to be protected. 
There is now a decided probability that the rising, and 
indeed the risen generation of farmers in this country 
will shortly have within their reach a system of education 
in agriculture, and in some of the sciences cognate to it, 
such as no one would, even one short year ago, have 
ventured to hope for, much less expect. Be it understood 
that the dollars for this new departure are derived from a 
fund which the Chancellor of the Exchequer had intended 
to be used as compensation to owners of drink shops which 
might be closed in deference to the demand of the public. 
The fund was provided from an increased duty on alco¬ 
holic liquor, and when Parliament refused to allow It to 
be used for the object named, a decision was arrived at to 
devote it to technical education; and, as agriculture is 
the greatest of our national industries, a good share of the 
money will go to provide such education for tho?e of our 
people who are engaged in farming pursuits. The work¬ 
ing out of the scheme and the application of the funds 
are vested under the control of the County Councils,— 
those local Parliaments which were established by ti e 
Local Government Act of 1888, and which exist for the 
management of the public business of each county respec¬ 
tively. The sum allocated for the object referred to is to 
be an annual one; it amounts to some 14,000,000, and 
varies from about $30,000 to $200,000 for each county, ac¬ 
cording to its size and population. Here, then, we have 
money which will give an altogether extraordinary impe¬ 
tus to the practical education of the masses of our people, 
not in agriculture only, but in mining, manufacturing, 
mechanics, engineering, and in every other productive art 
which may be regarded as of national importance. There 
appears to be every probability that the County Councils 
will give a great deal of time and trouble to the task, the 
great and most important task, of organizing and admin¬ 
istering the complicated, educational machinery which is 
now being called into existence. Committees of Councils 
have been appointed to draw up reports, each one dealing 
with some special industry, experts are being set to work, 
preliminary lectures are being delivered to inform the 
people as to the scope and meaning of the scheme, and to 
enlist their cooperation in it. 
There is something in this great and novel movement 
calculated to command the attention of other nations. 
