Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-15
,-iAhria,zina Potatoes.

l4ybrdizing Potatoes.
According to Frank w. Mahin, Unit
ed States consul at Nottingham. Eng.
about 100000 acres are devoted to
growing potatoes in Great Britain.
mostly of varieties which readily sue
cumb to disease, and. therefore, yield
little profit, and this has led to the
propagation of hybridized disease-re-
slsting varieties. with remarkable re-
suits Archibald F'indlay, of Markinch.
Scotland, is the originator of the Eli
dorado He has long been an expert in
capitalization of the tuber, and has
heretofore given to the world several
varieties. However, every variety OF
potato, as agriculturists well know,
steadily deteriorates in cropping and
disea se- resisting powers till it reaches
a point where 1t can no longer be
protitably raised. This point is reached,
growers state, in a few years generally.
and In ten or fifteen years at the ut
most. There Is. however. one Slayer"
recorded, which has been profitably
yielding now for about thirty years.
But the rule is that vigor can be main
tanned only by the constant bringing
breeding. Following this rule. Mr..
Findlay brought out the Eldorado, after
tests which convinced him that 1t had
great possibilities. sample was al
once introduced into Lincolnshire. the
purchaser paying Mr.. Findiay one
guinea (s51) a pound for 1t.
This would seem to be a rather high
price for a handful of potatoes, but 1t is
nothing to what has been realized by
subsequent sales in Lincolnshire from
the aforesaid samples. One of the first
recorded sales was of ten small pota :
toes. weighing about half a pound, for
R1OO (s4S6.65), or s4S.65 for each po-
tato. At an auction sale OF fourteen
potatoes the aggregate price realized
was s254 los ($1,23S.52l. Prices per
potato ranged from sS (s3S.93) to AZ
ts23s46) This e 40 potato weighed ten
ounces. The go tuber was about the
size of an average hickory nut.
Another case Is recorded where one
Eldorado potato-weight not stated
brought E100. and the purchaser i'm
mediately refused c 200 for it-nearly
ST 1000! This was probably very large
potato, for the record price SO far paid
in Lincolnshire Is said to be g450
ts2,1S592) for one pound Even at this
prodigious price-which works out at
about S5.O00,000 a ton--the purchaser
it Is said, expects to reap a big profit
during the coming year. OF course, II
will be some years before this potato Is
marketed as an edible. and meantime
it is predicted it's price will go even
higher than at present.
1t Is calculated that in expert hands
a small potato of this variety, weighing
a couple OF ounces will produce about
twenty plants, each yielding about twc
pounds, or about forty pounds return
from two ounces. 1t is related that a
farmer near Boston-the Lincolnshire
seaport-realized thirty-seven hun
dredweight (4,144 pounds) from a sim
gle stone GA pounds) of these potatoes,
which indicates that this potato can re-
produce itself three hundred fold in
weight in one season.
The Eldorado Is Of q kidney shape
and of a darkish green color, with a
metallic sheen, and appears from the
foregoing figures to be worth more
than It's weight in gold. 1t may be add
ed that this fabulous value is traceable
In a large degree, to systematic corner
ing, the originator Of the variety letting
out samples in small quantities to only
two persons, SO far as Is known. He
will dispose of no more at present, /,
is said, even at the extraordinary prices
now ruling, preferring to plant what he
has retained--about two tons-and sell
the product at three guineas (s15.S3)
a pound. which he expects will
be readily paid. An enthusiast predicts
that with favoring conditions the yield
from the two tons OF seed potatoes will
be such that this price will realize q