Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-14
Improvement of Potatoes.

An article in the Revue Horticoe trans.
lated. and published 10 the Farmer (Eng.)
contains some points worthy Of attention by
our American farmers, as the same princi-
pies which govern the growth of this tuber
in Europe are also potent here. When we
want to regenerate any particular kind Of
potato, or still more, to prevent its degen.
GRAFTON, it Is of the first Importance to make
judiclOus selection of parent plants. Sew
eral means may be adopted to this end. For
example, the choice Of the largest possible
tubers which represent well the marked
features Of the variety, since the too frequent
setting of small tubers tends to deteriora.
tion. Another plan is to choose the seed,
when digging up the crop, from the WE'LL
furnished roots, and select the tubers which
are most typical of the special variety under
treatment.
The shape of the tuber need not be too
much considered. Some people imagine that
tubers which differ from the usual shape Of
the kind to which they belong, are of neccs-
sity degencrated specimens, but this is an
error. Tubers may be not exactly of the
shape characteristic of the variety, and yet
produce well-shaped potatoes IN the following
year. AS rule the shape Of various kinds
Of potatoes differs according to the nature Of
the soil in which they are cultivated. For
example, it is generally supposed that the
"Marjoulin" ought to be long and narrow !;
nevertheless, some light sandy soils produce
it in a swollen and sometimes even rounded
form, though it turns out long and narrow if
grown in stiff SOIL 1t is a general phys.
illogical fact, common to almost all plants,
and specially marked n the case of the po.
tato, that it they are planted early every
year, their precocity increases, whilst by re-
versing the course Of action the contrary
effect is produced, and they tend to become
later in attaining full growth. The same
result appears if we plant successfully in a
cold soil. In this case they become later in
arriving at maturity, while the contrary
happens if we select warm ground. Again
it is almost certain that if we take the first
buds that are developed OH a potato for
planting the crop will be earlier than if we
planted with the second buds, or still more
with those of the third generation. 1t re-
suits from all this, that amongst the var ious
precautions to be taken in attempting to
MAINTAIN OF even Improve any variety OF po-
tato, a judcious choice of tubers for planting
is OF especial Importance.
The employment Of seeds properly so
called, might also perhaps be resorted TO-,
sometimes advantsgsously so. But how of
ten must We not SOW before we get good
types, and good varieties as Il result Still
Notwithstanding its certainty this method
should not be neglected. 1t is generally be.
lieved that the certain kinds of potatoes
such as the "Majoulin," neither flower nor
run to seed. This again is an error. All
potatoes will flower and yield seed when they
are very strongly manured and are in con-
diton of exuberant vegetation but it is none
the less true that there are some varieties
whose natural strength leads them to flower
and seed more fir eely than others.