30 
FLANSBURGH & PEIRSON CO.’S CATALOGUE. 
Extra Early Sorts. 
PECK'S EARLY. 
We feel we cannot say too much In favor of this new earlv variety as it is 
certainly one of the very best. 
Vine vigorous, growing about two feet high and when they fall nearly cover¬ 
ing the ground on good soil. Very free from blight or any disease of any kind, 
rubeis pinkish or Early Ohio color, large to very large and very few small ones. 
From five to eight in each hill and as they are uniformly large they give a great 
yield of marketable potatoes with us, two to four times that of Early Ohio. We 
do not know as we can do better than to give the statement of the originator, 
Mr. Peck, and of Mr. Crawford, who tested it before we got it, etc. Of this val- 
new variety Mr. Peck’s description to us is as follows: 
“Whitish in color; dry and mealy when cooked; is large to very large. I 
have grown some few specimens which were two pounds in weight. It is very 
early — two weeks or more ahead of any other variety grown here; a good keeper, 
and as good in the spring as any late potato of which I have any knowledge. To 
give you an idea of its yielding qualities. I had a patch 38x60 feet, from which 
I dug 35 bushels (that would be over 668 bushels per acre). I commenced to 
market them as early potatoes June 1. many of them as large as goose eggs and 
were ripe July 1." 
Vou will notice that Mr. Peck says “whitish in color." This was true of the 
tubers as grown in Missouri soil, but as grown here they are a true pinkish color 
but not so decided as Early Ohio. 
Some time last winter I received from the originator six tubers of Peck's 
Early potato for trial. Knowing Mr. Peck to have a high standard and to be per¬ 
fectly reliable, I was prepared to find his potato of more than ordinarv merit. 
In order to give it a fair trial I sent for two other early varieties—Burpee’s 
(Maule s) Eureka and Crim’s Early. The three varieties were exposed to tin 
light until they had well developed green buds. About the first of April 
weie cut to single eyes, and planted a foot apart in one row in the garden 
a clay loam. They were well cared for. and all fared alike. Some stable m 
s 
the 
they 
Soil, 
manu re 
was applied in the winter, and a liberal amount of acid phosphate was scattered 
on the surface after planting. Some nitrate of soda was put on about the time 
the plants came up. The Peck’s Early was up first, and Eureka next. As soon 
as I supposed there were any potatoes of marketable size 1 took up an average 
Plants to hand May 11. in good shape. 
Tama Co., Iowa. May 14. 1904. 
As ever your customer. C. C. .TT'DOE. 
