Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-11-15
IMPROVING THE POTATO.
Fresh Work on Latest and Promis-
ing Lines In Vermont.

Fresh work on Latest and Pr0mtn-
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 a wide
spread interest as to the best methods
Of combating the diseases affecting 1t.
For some years past as well as at pres
ent this interest has manifested itself
in the development Of fungicidal sprays
designed to hold I'm 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.
A belief in the Importance Of intro
duclng new blood into our cultivated
varieties of potatoes and thereby in
creasing their vigOr has led William
Stuart, the horticulturlst of the YER
mont experiment station, to most val
liable and interesting work In this line.
In fact, he gives in 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
or nwt0ncfva1v rr-riffor lo 10 II
ease resistant and also of some Mexi-
can varieties.
In 1908 out Of nine varieties tested
Rust Proof showed greatest vine resist
ance, and Dakota Red stood next. In
1904, among Twenty-Five varieties,
which included Sutton's Discovery
from England, 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 Or. e. HOeckel, Marseilles.
France; Solanum polyadenium obtain
ed from Mexico In 1908 by the veteran
hybridist, Mr.. G.. G.. Pringle of the
State university and Solanum stoloni-
ferlum 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 list |
In 1904 the Mexican variety Monterey
showed the best disease resistance Of |
vine, followed with Solanum polyade-
mum, Solanum commersonil, Sutton's
Discovery, June and Mexican In the or
der named. All of these varieties
showed absolute freedom from rot
when harvested. All Of the above men
toned Mexican varieties and species,
also Solanum eommersonil, produced
but few tubers, and these were not of
size Sutton's Discovery,
possibly on account Of its not being
acclimated. gave a very light crop OF
'ather small tubers, very few o. which
we're marketable. At present Mr.. Stu
irt does not feel justified In recon-
any Of the more disease re-
Iistant varieties for commercial plant
ng.
New Varieties From Seed.
In 1908 a few plants In the varieties
,T0wn were observed TO remain Green
onger than the others. Tubers from
hese were planted in 1904. As far as
ould be noted no increased disease re-
istant qualities were transmitted to
he offspring Of these plants nor did
election give any greater immunity
rom scab.
A most instructive experiment was
onducted with 800 seedlings grown
rom naturally fortified seed balls.
his proved an object lesson In the ex-
RENE vigor of some of the plants,
howing quite plainly that one of the
est sources for increasing the vigor
es in the production of new varieties
rom seed. Proper fertilization and
God tlllage are also important aids In
lcreasing the ylgor and disease resist.
nee powers Of the vine.
Latest ImpressiOns.
Among fair differences from the work
appears that hybrldlzation and the
rowing Of seeding plants, followed by
ireful selection, seem to offer a more
Igical method of securing dicaoaa ra-