ninety pounds from one pound. Four of the best hills filled a half bushel, and the largest potato weighed two and three-quarters pounds. As to quality, from the limited trial made, he thinks that they are nearly or quite first-rate when mature, but poor and watery when young, and growing rapidly.

Thomas M. Harvey, superintendent of the East Pennsylvania Experimental Farm, reports the following results of a series of experiments: No. 1.-The varieties of the potato planted were of different sizes, cut so as to make the number of pieces in a row, as given in the table. Phosphate, 800 pounds to an acre, applied in the rows.

No. 2.-Bone phosphate, 1,000 pounds spread on the first acre; planted

the 5th of May, in rows three feet apart, one potato or piece in a hill.

1043

216

140

210

791

214

70

No. 3.-Stable manure, fourteen loads spread on the second acre; same kind and form of seed as on the preceding phosphate; planted 11th of May, in rows three feet apart, one potato or piece in a hill.

Jonathan Talcott, of New York, planted Jackson White, the Early Goodrich, and the Ohio Russet, of which the Jackson White was eight or ten days the earliest, and also the best in quality; yield about a hundred and fifty bushels per acre. The Early Goodrich, though a few days later, is preferred for its hardiness, smooth and perfect appearance, and yield per acre. The Ohio Russet matures with the Early Goodrich, is full as good in quality, but the yield is only medium.

A correspondent of the Rural American has for several years raised the Garnet potato, and says he finds it all its originator ever claimed for it. The Gleason he thinks far ahead of any variety he has ever raised, in respect to yield and freedom from rot; although, as a table potato, he considers it no better than the Garnet. From eight pounds of this variety he raised one barrel of fine potatoes, without extra cultivation. He planted eight rows of the Gleason, four of the Garnet, two of the Peach-blow, and five of the Eastern Red, putting a forkfull of coarse manure in each hill, by way of experiment. He generally applies a large handful of ashes instead of barn-yard manure. From the eight rows of the Gleason, thirty-three bushels were harvested, nearly all fit for the table, and entirely free from rot; from the eleven remaining rows of the varieties named, only thirty bushels were gathered, making a yield of one and three-tenths bushel in favor of the Gleason. Only a few diseased potatoes were found among the Garnets, but many among the Peach-blows and Eastern Reds.

Andrew Archer, of Maine, planted side by side, and on the same quality of land, seven varieties of the potato, with the following results: The Cuzco yielded 370 bushels per acre; the Orono, 320; the Early Goodrich, 320; the General Grant, 304; the Early Sebec, 264; the Mercer, 240; the Jackson, 240. He states that the Early Goodrich, the past year, maintained its former reputation as a first class potato in every respect; and that the General Grant is equally so, either for the table or the market, and is the earliest variety on record, cultivated in Maine, being two weeks earlier than the Early Sebec, and three weeks earlier than the Early Goodrich. The Early Goodrich and the General Grant do not rot, and he thinks they are far superior to any other varieties now grown in that State.

Isaac Hicks and Sons, of New York, planted nine rows of each of nine

varieties, with the following results: The Early Goodrich yielded 188 bushels per acre; Early Samaritan, 96; Early Rose, 235; Harrison, 265; Calico, 267; Gleason, 254; Vanderveer, 227; Gardner, 215; Peach-blow, 196. All were dug before the middle of September. The Peach-blows were beginning to rot, and were sent to the New York market as fast as possible. Three or four only of the Gleasons were found rotten in each barrel; all the other varieties were sound, and kept well. The Peachblow brought, in the market, $3 75 to 84 per barrel; the Gleason, $2 50 to $3; the Vanderveer, $2 50; and the Early Goodrich, $2 25. Mr. Bristoe, of Kentucky, planted the varieties named below, with the results annexed:

Mr. Bristoe does not regard the Peach-blow as a sure crop in the South; as, whatever the time of planting, it will not produce potatoes till late in June. He has planted from April to the middle of July, with about equal success.

The following table shows the results of an experiment made by Thomas Meehan, editor of the Philadelphia Weekly Press, and a committee of agricultural editors and others, by boiling fifteen popular varieties of the potato. The numbers affixed denote their qualities respectively. No. 1 signifies best; No. 2 next best, &c.:

From an inspection of the table it will be seen that the Early Rose and the Early Goodrich hold the first place in the total value of their good qualities; but, as color is of less importance than either texture or flavor, the Early Rose must be regarded as the best on the list. The Cuzco, Garnet, Chili, Gleason, and Carter also take a high rank.

Peter Henderson, of New Jersey, cut one potato weighing four ounces into two parts, in such a way that the largest possible number of eyes in each piece would be presented upward; then each part was placed on

Total.

the soil of one of the benches of his greenhouse, at a temperature of about seventy degrees, and kept entirely dry until the cut surface had healed over, and shoots began to start from the eyes. The shoots, when four or five inches in length, were cut off about one-fourth of an inch from the surface of the potato, and rooted by shading and watering in the usual way, and then put in two-inch pots, in rich soil, and started to grow. Other shoots were afterward thrown up from the potato in great numbers, and rooted as before. When the first shoots were seven or eight inches high, cuttings were taken from the tops of these also and rooted; so that by the 1st of June one hundred and fifty good shoots had been produced from this potato, each of which was equal to a set made directly from the tuber. These sets were planted out the first week in June, in land not well suited for the growth of the potato. The crop, when dug in September, weighed four hundred and fifty pounds, equal to seven and a half bushels, being an increase of sixteen hundred fold.

It may be questioned whether this process is of any practical value, or whether it will pay. It is not claimed that it would, when potatoes bring only the ordinary price; but, when they are sold at the price at that time of the Early Rose, $3 per pound, there is no doubt whatever of its practical utility.