Norwich bulletin., 1914-06-20

CWritten Specially for The Bu1letin.)
 The very latest thing is a ''topless potato"
 It halls from Kansas. In fact, it is still confined to Kansas. It hasn't es- capped from the boundaries of that won der-producing state, yet But it's glory is being exploited in the newspapers, and it won't be long. probably. before it will be in the seed catalogues, as big as life and twice as natural
 Let's see; we've had for some time the s.seedless grape. That came along very soon after the '.horseless carriage as they first called bubble wagons. Then there appeared the scoreIess ap- pie" Quite a many years ago l in vested in Few "thornless blackberry" bushes. Several seasons back, Bur bank of California and the universe produced his -spineless cactus, which he guaranteed that other animals be- sides donkeys and stone-erushers could masticate. Then an Illinois farmer came to the front with "cobless corn. Now appears the -'topless potato.''
 All these are in the agricultural field. Also, there are "smokeless powder, and "noiseless guns and wireless telegraph, etc. When we arrive at "cutless cutwor1ns" and "drough-less summers and "acheIess teeth and 'crickless rheumatism" we shall be getting somewhere.
 10 is a staff correspondent of The Kansas City Star which tells about the 'topless potato Now, The Star not given to sensationalism; enterpris- ing in its collection of news, but apt to De rather conservative in presenting it. I've known the paper for a long time, and have never known it to father any rural or other "roorbacks'. So 1 can't hAlFa fo1ri St0 iy, it- nar spondent's account of the new tuber, even though it goes. according to his description, against all the known or assumed rules of vegetable existence.
 According to the story, Farmer Mooney of Seneca, Kansas, was dis appointed three years ago, in getting some seed potatoes from his store keeper. The latter was ''all sold out" In one bag. however. he found six or seven strange potatoes, coming from nobody knew where, large white, smooth skinned, with very few eyes. They were left-oyers from some ship ment the store-keeper had imported, the rest having been sold and eaten So be tossed them over to Farmer Mooney, as the best he could do to relieve the tatters disappointment Mooney took $hem home and planted them. They had so few eyes that he had much doubt about them. and the weeds after planting seemed to justify his doubt. He feared they wouldn't come up. and they didn't come up. That is, only two or three did, and their tops were pretty feeble looking things. So he put in sadishes between the few which show cd, and thought nothing more of them. Later. in pulling radishes. he was as- tonished to find potatoes under them. Getting his digging fork he turned over the apparently vacant rows and threW out more than a bushel of fine, big po- tatoes, the same as he had planted. Some the family ate and found good 1; the rest were saved for seed Next year the same performance was re- reated. Only here and there did a top show itself, but the other hills pro- auced just as well as those which grew tp orthodox fashion. By that time, Farmer Mooney begun to suspect that be had struck something rich in the potato line. So he saved all that grew tor seed. and this spring planted them again.
 When the man from The Stars staff visited him, he took the scribe out to the field and showed him. Here and there a top was visible. while fully three-quarterS of the hills planted showed not so much as green sprig above them. But a careful uncov- ering Of some of the topless hills proved them full of young potatoes, just 
 writes:--
 ''The hills uncovered showed the new potatoes beginning to develop from the parent cutting. and they seemed about a month earlier than the com mon variety. They are formed on small roots running out from the cut ting, now run in size from pea to a marble. New potatoes of ordinary varieties which were planted before the topiess kind are little larger than a matchhead. Seemingly the strength Expended by the ordinary seed in pro- ducing vines goes directly into the development of young potatoes in the new variety"
 There you have it. The next quest tion is. How large is your capacity for belief? Have you faith as big as a mustard-seed Or as big as one of these young potatoes the newspaper man describes? If so, perhaps you'll be sending out to Seneca, Kan, for some of the new wonder to plant
 One thing is sure: If a potato has n't any top the potato bugs can't eat the top, and Farmer Mooney won't have to spend money for Paris green