The Red Cloud chief., 1882-06-08
How New Varieties Of Potatoes are
Produced.

We must in the first place state that
the potato is not n root NJ all. but a
short, thick underground branch Of the
plant. We have several times seen.
and no doubt many ui our reader. have
also. thc branches OF the rotntn-vine
developed a potatoes above gruun,i.
No mast start viii, the III =. then. tina.
the potato l. really a. branch or stem. IL
l. n weis-esiablishod fac' among fruit
growers and florists. tIat 4 -,.-a, ar
branch Of a plant mas produce very dii-
fcrcnt fruits or flowers from the rest OF
the plant, and this ecu without any
assirnablc cause. aud without IN hn-
man agcncv. These cas- =, nv hortirult-
uris,s called sports" are very nuuier-
ous. A late peach has boon known To
produce u branch on VIII Oh MI tEe frrit
was early. Other Veach-trccs have
formed branches which bore only meets
rines-merclv 3 sport If the peach. Ger
tain branches on yellow plum tree
have produced red plums. and shoots ON
purple grape-vines have borne white
gr.ocs. I'm flowers. especially roses,
these variations are very numerous.
We only cite these eases Ia show what
NAV take place, indeed. has taken
place. in the potato. The tuber being
really n branch. il may. like n branch Of
peach. plum. or grape. vary. a noia-
BILE example o. this j. the Late Rose
In a field Of Early Rose. a single
plant was found 10 be green. and sill
growing long after the vinrs in the rest
OF the field were dead and ready tor the
harvest The owner had the good sense
Ia save and perpetual, the product OF
this vine. and now, n the Late Rose
il is one Of our valuable kinds. Other
varieties have been produced in n s.mi-
lar manner. We annot cause this va
ration Ia take place. but n. it mas occur
anywhere. the carcfu. cultivator should
take note of anv marked differences IN
the vines that may appear IN his potato
field.
As to raising new varieties from seed.
we doubt if much actual cross-fertiliza-
ton has ever been done. To refer o
fruits ~ayain-the seeds OF the apples
or the peaches from any Il tree. taken
n they are. without any attempt at fer
tilization. will give \ great variety OF
seedlings. and We know IL 10 be- the
same with potatoes. That greatest Of
all modern poiatoes-greaicst in itself
anil in the varieties il has given rise o
the .sEarly Rose" came from a
chance seed ball o: the coarse. but pro-
life Garnet Chill" A grower had
picked this seed-ball FROM his patch
without selection. and pinned il against
his window 10 ripen. and finally gave
it to Mr.. B~reese-of blessed potato
memory-who sowed the seeds From
these seeds in this chance ball. picked
without selection. cane the Larry
Rose,r ..Breese'S Prolific and several
others, all Of excellen; quality. but very
different. some being white. Others red;
so..e long. others rOurd. some early and
some late; indeed. from that one. and
now famous seed-ball. were raised pota-
toes differing among themselves ~
much rs potatoes can differ. In view
of the results from this single secd-bail.
we doubt many Of the stores of direct
crossing. S.ili. IL one wishes 10 expert
men; IN this. the flower of the potato
affords an easy subject. rs the anihers
do MOI shed their pollen early, and IL
removed as sooa as the flower opens.
the pollen from another flower \ be
readily applied 10 the pistil. As 90 rss-
ing potatoes from the seed. the ball.
are kept until the time foe sowing. when
the seeds ere removed and treated pre-
eisely rs tomato seeds They sre start
ed in boxes in The greenhouse. the hot
bed. or in the kitchen window fMr-
Breeze followed the last named meth
odp. and the plants treated exactly ike
tomato plants. ave that they may be
set in the open ground somewhat ear
lier. Mr.. Breese informed us that the
original plant Of .Ear,y Rose" gave him
several good sized tubens the frs; real
and stated that in his experiences, If .
seeding potato did not do this the first
season. it was not worth while 10 coz
Time % grow h-Amerieas Zgncsl-
era.