Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-10-19
AGRICULTURAL.
All About Potatoes.
"A. W. Chccver in New England Farmcrl

Oltte TtlT Dy Mr. W. IL. hhlll ol oiti-
burn, wd,accepted an invitation to visit
the farm where tine hundred or more va
rieties were grown and where several
hundred oAher varieties might be seen
still in the fisld, many of them yet green
aud growing. \. The success of the potato
growers in this section is doubtless large-
ly due to the character of the soil, though
the cool climate is also favorable to the
growth of the plant The soil along the
east shore of Lake Champlain is quite va
riable, ranging from stiff clay in Addi-
son county to light sapd, or sandy loan
in Chittenden county.
The farm we are called, specially to Wis
it, is owned by Mr.. A. Rand, who, with
his son W. II. Rand, works it almost ex-
clusively as seed farm. Erhe soil is of
that peculiarly favorable mixture. that
seems to exactly suit the potato, the sem
ior proprietor expressing it aApossessing
that quality which prevents it from ever
Being very much too wet or mudl too dry.
Wepresume Mr.. Rand can shog n larger
COLLECTION OF distinct named and numbered
varieties of potatoes than any grfwer in
America For several years past he has
had the contrct for keeping up the CEN
tennial collection of 500 named varieties,
shown by b. X. Bliss & Sons at Phildel-
phia in 1876. Besides these he has 900
named or numbered varieties of his own
production, growing in his experimental
garden. Standard " well known sorts
are grown for seed dealers at about usual
market rates. 1t is from new and valua-
BILE varieties that larger profts are looked
for. "Oh, if we could only depend upon
them,' said the senior Mr.. Kaad, as he
pulled mp hills of some new variety he
was growing, to show us its merits. but
which perhaps turned out small or scakbv
or in other respects inferior to its promise
in former years These gentlemen, who
have been experimenting with more than
a thousand varieties annually for many
years past, have found that no depen-
dence can be placed upon new variety
till it has been tested at least three or four
years, and often variety that promises
well that length of time, will suddenly
ego back on them" "Here is one said
Mr.. Rand, "of which have considera-
BILE field, that for several years past seem
ed to be almost perfect in color, size,
shape, yield and quality, but last year it
came out so scabby that it was difficult
finding barrel of perfectly smooth ones
W seutl VII W Iii III OIueI. Lie uOco uot
consider it safe for farmers or the public
to depend upon the early rose for all fu-
ture time, because although it has out
lived many others equally promising, we
know not how soon or how suddenly it
may fail. Potatoes certainly do run
out, scarcely single sort being grown ex-
tensively now that was popular thirty or
forty years ago, though almost every old
variety may be found in the Bliss conden-
NAL collection.
There is something quite exciting in
the study of potatoes, as in the study of
anything else in nature. The blood of
the modern potato is evidently very much
mixed and may be traced back to q multi
tudc of progenitvIs. II Is an interesting
study to note the pecularities of the
many new varieties. Almost every con-
ceivable variation in character or appear
ance of leaves, vine, or tubers may be
noticed, and yet n relationship is evident
in all. At the time OF our visit, over n
thousand varieties were to be seen in one
field Some vines We're bright and green,
others dead or turning yellow with age /;
some were tall, others short some coarse,
others fine some had smooth leaves,
while many had curly, sickly looking
leaves. The color of vine in some cases
was almost black, while others were light
green. The color of the foliage seemed
to carry but little indications of the color
of the tubcr. Even under the most care
full selection Of parents for crossing, the
progeny shows most varying appearance
and character. Dark skin and blotched
skin from clear white or rose color deep
set eyes from smooth parents, are among
the constant annoyances of the hybridi-
zer We have no strong varieties that
can be depended upon, like some OF our
pedigree corns. Our potatoes must
for some time yet be classed among the
"scrubs," often handsome themselves,
but very uncertain in the character of
their progeny.
Mr.. Rand has experimental somewhat
with late grown tubers for the next years
planting, and finds that late grown seed
gives stronger and more vigorous start
off, in the spring, than seed which has
been long ri pc and perhaps has thrown
out n good deal of sprout growth that has
necessarily been destroyed in handling,
but whether growing potatoes late foi
seed is to become common practice nc
is not yet ready to predict. Nor is he
prepared to say much about the cause ol
cure for scabby potatoes, though he has
observed very closely in this direction
He find where hundred varieties are
planted near each other on land exactly
alike. ami with exactly the same treat
ment in every respect, that some varie
ties will come out perfectly smooth ane
clean, while other varieties i'll the mex
hills will be utterly worthless on account
of their scabby skins. The difference
will be as marked in this regard rs in thu
difference in color or shape of differen
varieties.
This would seem to knock the founda
tion all out from under the earth worn
theory 30 strongly adhered to by man,
cultivators. So high has the STANDARD
been placed for a good potato blythe pub
| lie, that it is now very rare to obtain
new variety that bids fair to excel olde
and well known sorts, and were it not TO
the liability of these older choice varie
ties running out, all this work of tn
Champlain valley farmers would sool
lose its interest. 1t was amusing to hea
the remarks made when hills were opene'
for examination. "This variety did wei
last year, but it don't come up to its pro
mise this" Here is one with curl
leaf" "This one has eyes too deeply set
"That ones color is against it" "Peo
pie will never buy potato with such
color, however good the quality Other
wise" These like the Chinese "must go.
at don't pay to bother with sorts tina
promise no better than the average" An
so the examination went on, every lot bt
ing staked off with peculiar shape
stakes, which all meant something
those who understood their meaning. {
the centennial varieties, just four hill
Of each only were grown, of others
trial, two OF six, except of the very fc
promising ones, quarter acre, and
: after six or eight years of trial, variel
lis found promising enough to warral
purchase for dissemination, then perhal
/, several acres may be grown.
The visitor to such breeding field {
Mr.. Rand can show, will be surprised {
! the abundance of seed balls hanging