REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST.* 
Synopsis of Work Reported. 
A test of varieties of the potato, with a report of experiments. 
Experiments in root growth. 
Notes on insects and insecticides. 
Applications for the prevention of apple scab. 
A study of the movements of soil water. 
A description of varieties with classification, lists of synonyms 
and bibliography of various vegetables. 
THE POTATO. 
Under this head is reported: 
1. A test of varieties. 
2. Test with seed tubers selected from the most productive, and 
least productive hills. 
3. Cuttings versus whole tubers of the same weight. 
4. Eresh versus partially dried cuttings. 
A Test of Varieties. 
Twenty-six varieties or seedlings of the potato, of which the names 
and yields are given in the table on the following page, were grown the 
past season for the first time. Succeeding this table is a more elaborate 
one showing the result of a comparative test of seed tubers taken 
from productive and unproductive hills. This table serves equally 
well as a test of the varieties grown in 1886, of which it offers the 
results of two to four duplicate plantings of each, the four columns 
immediately succeeding the name showing the yield from the largest 
tuber of the most productive hill produced by each variety in 1886. 
The seed used in all was single eyes, planted April 26 to 28, in rows 
three and a half feet apart, the eyes placed one foot apart in the row. 
The soil, a fertile clay loam, received a good dressing of stable manure, 
which was applied and plowed in in the fall previous, and just before 
planting, was plowed very shallow, so as not to raise the manure to 
the surface. All after cultivation was done by hand. The season 
proved very dry until about midsummer, when abundant rains fell. 
In consequence, the potatoes made a slow and stunted growth through 
May and June, and some varieties matured before the drought was 
relieved. After the rains of July, those still alive commenced a 
vigorous second growth, that was checked in many cases only by frosts 
in October. On this account, the date of dying of* the tops of the dif- 
* E. S. Goff. 
