The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-10-04

acteriHtics which are The guidee or the
basis OF selection of these varieties.
Other varieties. similarly, must have
points of distinction before they can
be called a variety. What we would
like the reader 10 see very distinctly
is that for each varietyt here are def
nitea and certain qualities which dis
tinguish 1t from all others and before
we can grow the best potatoes Of any
variety one must be entirely familiar
with these things. These cuts were
obtained from the University of Wis
consin.
Tue best kinds are those that suit
the individual growers conditions
and fancy. yet "A growers fancy is not
Of much Importance II il conflicts with
the market demands or requirements
and does not thus produce profit in
connection with yields.
The best potato for Iron County or
any other place may be either an early
or medium late maturing variety IL
may be a white. red or a pink n (;
il may he a moderate yIelder or a very
high producer. but to be the best po-
tato or best variety of n potato il al.
way must be marketable. please the
consumer, and yield the largest ulti.
mate profit to the producer.
Practically any standard potato will
be marketable. but IL must have
quality and market conditions such
as smoothness, uniformity aud free
dom from disease or injury. The
cooking quality must be desirable
when il gets to the consumer. All
these points should be considered in
the selection OF a proper variety But
they will o all he cared Tor by
simply choosing a variety that hes
been said to contain all these necessary
features, since soil conditions. culture
and the selection of seed each have an
important influence in improvement
or deterioration. For example, the
seasons of the South cause potatoes to
loose their m%ealiness, good flavor and
high producing qualities This is the
reason southern growers demand seed
potatoes from the North Hard soil
conditions are very had for the pro.
duction OF large yields. Mellow soils
are more conducive TO quick growth
ard large re urns Cold and wet soil
do not favor the growth Of p~otates.
Though we may easily notice the in
fiuence Of snch things, still the average
potato grower does not realize the vast
Importance and influence OF Selection
in doing away with poor and unfavor-
able features, nor or increasing and
improving upon favorable features,
Of the varities being grown.
Through proper Selection the potato
crop In Iron County could be doubled
in value without increasing the acre.
age one acre.
POTATO CHARACTERISTICS.
Different potato varities should have
Distinguishing marks and peculiarites.
We call these their characteristics
The potato tuber Ia a part of the
plant AZ much as is the leaf, stalk or
flower, and should be as uniform in its
shape, color, size, numbers, in the
hin and cooking qualities az those
parts actually above ground. These
characteristics of the potato should be
as certain and uniformly reproduced
as is the arrangement, size, shape, etc.
of leaves, flowers and stalks WITHIN
any given variety. TubeT character
lstics, however. are not usually so uni
form and stable becaue of poor Selec.
ton, etc. OF the tubers. Proper salec.
tion should include not only the proper
choice of the tubers. but also the cor.
responding kind an characteristics of
the plant from which they came. such
as size, erecness. color and growing
habits. This helps us TO determine
their %stableness. or sureness of repro.
duciug the good yields desired.
VARIETIES.
In general the uniformity Of size.
shape, color, setting of eyes, maturity
and keeping qualities determines var
ieirs. Whom a certain group or 20.
tatoes loose their similarity they
loose their place as a variety and are
said 20 he mixed or of no variety. BE.
cause OF this mixed condition large
quantities Of seed potatoes do not re-
produce even their W kind and
neither yield nor quality car be- guar.
snteed at digging time. The farmer
must take chances and trust that he
may have a good or a profitable r
Many Of u farmers grow potatoes
under this difficulty. and In getting
small yields of marketable tubers,
they must of necessity grow a larger