Smyrna times., 1905-07-05
IMPROVING THE POTATO.
Fresh Work on Latest and PrOmts-
ing Lines In Vermont.

Fresh Work on Latest and PrOm1s-
ing Lines In Vermont.
Burlington, Vt.-The increasing eco
nomic Importance of the potato as an
article of food and its seeming greater
propensity to disease, especially to the
"late blight" have resulted in wide
spread interest as to the best methods
of combating the diseases affecting it.
For some years past as well as at pres
ent this interest has manifested itself
in the development of fungicidal sprays
designed to hold in check or wholly
prevent late blight. More recently.
however, another phase of this study
has presented itself, that of develop
ing a plant immune to disease. This
departure from the old methods Is
largely due to the results that have
been obtained along these lines with
the cowpea and cotton.
belief in the Importance of intro
ducing new blood into our cultivated
varieties of potatoes and thereby in
creasing their vigor has led William
Stuart, the horticulturist of the Yer
mont experiment station, to most val
liable and interesting work in this line.
In fact, he gives in a recent station
publication what is perhaps the first
definite information for the United
States as to the Solanum commersonii
variety from Uruguay, which has been
so extensively written up lately as dis
ease resistant, and also of some Mexi-
can varieties.
In 1903 out of nine varieties tested
Rust Proof showed greatest vine resist
ance, and Dakota Red stood next. In
1904, among twenty-nine varieties,
which included Sutton's Discovery
from England, a Peruvian variety of
the common potato, two common varie-
ties cultivated in New Mexico (desig-
mated in the test as Mexican and Mon
terey), Solanum commersonii obtained
from DR.. E. Hoeckel Marseilles,
France; Solanum polyadenium obtain
ed from Mexico in 1903 by the veteran
hybridist, Mr. c. G. Pringle of the
| State university and Solanum stoloni
ferium from the same source.
Results of Two Years.
OF the varieties tested for two sea
sons Dakota Red showed the smallest
amount of rot and, with the exception
of Rust Proof, the best vine resistant
qualities. OF the accesSions to the lis
in 1904 the Mexican variety Monterey
showed the best disease resistance o.
vine, followed with Solanum polyade
| nii1m GOlaOur,o oopoYo orcOOii Sutton,
Discovery, June and Mexican In the or
der named. All of these varietie
showed absolute freedom from ro
when harvested. All of the above men
toned Mexican varieties and species
also SOlanum commersonii, produces
but few tubers, and these were not o
merchantable size. Sutton's Discovery
possibly on account of it's not bein
acclimated, gave a very light crop o
rather small tubers, very few of whic
were marketable. At present Mr.. Stu
art does not feel justified in recon
mending any of the more disease re
sistant varieties for commercial plant
ing.
New Varieties From Seed.
In 1903 a few plants in the varietie
grown were observed to remain gree
longer than the others. Tubers froI
these were planted in 1904. As far a
could be noted no increased disease r,
sistant qualities were transmitted I
the offspring of these plants nor di
selection give any greater immunit
from scab.
A most instructive experiment wa
conducted with 500 seedlings grow
from naturally fertilized seed ball
'Tnis proved an object lesson in the e,
treme vigor of some of the plant
4 showing quite plainly that one of I'll
best sources for increasing the vigt
lies in the production of new varieti,
from seed. Proper fertilization an
| good tillage are also important aids
increasing the vigor and disease resis
ance powers of the vine
Latest Impressions.
q Among fair differences from the wol
n 1t appears that hybridization and Il
e growing of seeding plants, followed |
careful selection, seem to offer a mo
logical method of securing disease +
siStant varieties than does selection.