ILLUSTRATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS.

We propose to add a few pages of illustrations of the new varieties, together with descriptions of the same. A number of these were given in the pamphlet issued last year, and are reproduced from that. In case a new edition is called for, it is likely that a number of additional cuts will be added to it.

We would call attention to the report of a series of experiments which have been made on the farms connected with the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania.

There are very many questions connected with the cultivation of the potato which can be answered satisfactorily only by careful and repeated experiments.

Excelsior.

Seedling of Early Goodrich, now six years old, and is claimed to combine more good qualities than any other potato. D. S. Heffron, of Utica, originated it. Is said to be productive, early, and of good keeping qualities.

Massasoit.—A new variety from Western Massachusetts, resembling the Harrison in appearance, but earlier and of much better quality; flesh white, cooks dry and mealy, and altogether a superior variety; strongly recommended for a general crop. (See next page.)

Bellefonte, February 12, 1870.

Rev. W. T. Wylie:

Dear Sir: I inclose an extract from the report, suitable, I think, for the pamphlet.

H. N. McAllister.

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

From an interesting and instructive report of the Professor of Agriculture to the Board of Trustees of the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania, for 1869, in relation to the results of experiments made upon the three several experimental farms connected with that institution, we make the following extracts touching the Potato, verifying and illustrating some of the principles set forth in the above essay:

1st.—Varieties.

Of upward of thirty different varieties experimented upon, the Early Goodrich, Early Rose, and Harrison are among the best and most prolific.

LIKE WEIGHTS OF SEED UPON EQUAL AREAS OF GROUND.

2d.—Different Modes of Preparing the Seed.

Central Farm.—One fourth of Plot No. 11—Early Goodrich—cut tubers, yields 500 pounds, equal to 286 bushels per acre; large and whole tubers, yields 410 pounds, equal to 234 bushels per acre; medium-sized tubers, yields 419 pounds, equal to 239 bushels per acre; and small tubers, yields 486 pounds, equal to 278 bushels per acre.

3d.—Combined Diversity between Soil and Sub-soil and Common Plowing.

Central Farm.—The 4 plots, Nos. 11, 16, 116, and 416—soil and subsoil plowing—yields 6200 pounds, equal to 221 bushels per acre; the 2 plots, Nos. 216 and 316—common plowing—yields 1845 pounds, equal to but 131 bushels per acre.

4th.—Diversity between Letting all Sprouts Grow and Thinning to Three in each Hill..

Eastern Farm.—Plot No. 208: Monitors; large and whole tubers, 21½ pounds; not thinned; Moro Philips's superphosphate; yield 1174 pounds, equal to 168 bushels per acre.

Plot No. 209: Monitors; large and whole tubers, 23 pounds; thinned; Moro Philips's superphosphate; yield 1042 pounds, equal to 149 bushels per acre.

Plot No. 210: Monitors; large and whole tubers, 15 pounds; not thinned; stable manure; yield 860 pounds, equal to 124 bushels per acre.

Plot No. 211: Monitors; large and whole tubers, 14½ pounds; thinned; stable manure; yield 839 pounds, equal to 119 bushels per acre.

5th.—Diversity from Time of Cutting the Seed-Potatoes..

Plot No. 222: Monitors; cut two weeks before planting; yield 580 pounds, equal to 83 bushels per acre.

Plot 223: Monitors; cut at time of planting; yield 819 pounds, equal to 117 bushels per acre.

Plot 220: Early Shaw; cut two weeks before planting; yield 764 pounds, equal to 100 bushels per acre.

Plot 221: Early Shaw; cut at time of planting; yield 907 pounds, equal to 129 bushels per acre.

Massasoit.

Bresee's Peerless, or No. 6.

The latest and best of all Mr. Bresee's seedlings for the main crop. This is also a seedling of the Garnet Chili, and originated from the same seed-ball as the Early Rose; skin dull white, occasionally russeted; eyes shallow, oblong; flesh white, mealy; grows to a large size, often weighing from one and a half to two pounds, and enormously productive. At a trial before a committee of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, in September last, this variety obtained more votes as to quality than any other of Bresee's seedlings.

TABLE OF EXPERIMENTS.

Try it and Report Results.

	lbs.
Two pounds large-sized potatoes, planted whole	00
Two pounds large-sized potatoes, cut into quarters	00
Two pounds large-sized potatoes,cut to single eyes	00
Two pounds large-sized potatoes,cut to single eyes and planted four in a hill	00
Two pounds large-sized potatoes, planted in drills, fifteen inches between the sets,	00
Two pounds small potatoes, planted whole	00
Two pounds small potatoes, cut in two pieces	00
Two pounds cut to single eye, and worked in ridges	00
Two pounds cut to single eye, the surface kept flat	00

To these add such other experiments as may be interesting to you. Weigh the product of each carefully, and report weight, average, size of each lot, and quality.

Brezee's King of the Earlies.

Raised, in 1862, by Albert Brezee, of Hubbardton, Vt., from a ball of the Garnet Chili. Vines of medium height, or a little less, and bearing no balls; leaves large; tubers large and handsome, roundish and slightly flattened; eyes small, and somewhat pinkish; skin flesh-colored, or dull pinkish white; flesh white, cooks well, and is of the best quality for the table. Has proven thus far very hardy. The variety will not be sent out until the spring of 1870.

THE EARLY MOHAWK POTATO.

Originated in Michigan, in 1866, from a cross of the Peachblow and Brick Eye. It is of oblong, roundish shape, flattened at the ends. Skin light pink, with pink blush near the eye. Eyes slightly sunken, flesh white, cooks dry and mealy, and of superior flavor. Ripens from six to ten days earlier than the Rose, of uniform large size and but few small ones, and perfectly free from Core or Hollow Heart, and a superior Winter and Spring variety.

Brezee's Prolific.

This variety originated with Albert Brezee, Esq., of Hubbardton, Vt., in 1861. Mr. Brezee was the originator of the Early Rose, the seed producing both that and Brezee's Prolific being from the same seed-ball, and both are seedlings of the Garnet Chili.

The vines of Brezee's Prolific are of medium height, quite bushy, and somewhat spreading, and with very large leaves; as yet they have produced no seed-balls. Tubers large, regular in shape, and very smooth, slightly oblong, and very much flattened; skin dull white, inclined to be russeted; eyes but little depressed and slightly pinkish; flesh white, rarely if ever hollow; cooks quickly, and is very mealy and of excellent quality. Yield very large, maturing three weeks later than the Early Rose.

Rules Worth Observing.—An experienced cultivator says, "My experience leads me to lay down the following as safe rules:

"I. As early as possible, lay your plans for the next season's planting, and manure and work your ground accordingly, in advance.

"II. Secure the best seed, even if it cost you two or five times as much as a common and less valuable sort.

"III. Always get a new, improved variety, as soon as it has been tested and proved. Remember the profit is mainly made by the early cultivators. When it gets so common that you can buy cheap, you will have to sell cheap, too.

"IV. Buy only from reliable dealers, and be sure you get the genuine article.

"V. Buy, or at least order, if you possibly can, in the fall or winter; you thus save the spring rise of prices.

"VI. Liberal outlay for seed, manure, tools, and work gives ten-fold the largest return in money, as well as satisfaction."

THE GLEASON.

Also a seedling of 1860, of the Pink Eye Rusty Coat, No. 15, which it closely resembles. When two years old, Mr. Goodrich described it thus: "Longish, rusty, coppery; leaves and vines dark green; flowers white; a very hopeful sort." September 29th, 1863, at digging time, he added: "Very nice; many in the hill; no disease." The two seasons, 1865 and 1866, under Dr. Gray's cultivation, this variety yielded at the rate of four hundred bushels to the acre, being more productive than the parent. This variety gives the best satisfaction. The tubers are not overgrown, but numerous; have fine-grained, solid flesh, that cooks white. For winter use this kind is excellent. It is a good keeper, and has a fine, rich flavor, especially when baked.

Willard.

J. J. H. Gregory says of this potato: "The Willard is a seedling from the Early Goodrich. It proves to be a half early variety, enormously productive, and is a potato of good promise. It is of a rich rose color, spotted and splashed with white. The flesh is white."

THE EARLY ROSE.

"It is a seedling of the Garnet Chili, that was originated in 1861, by Albert Brezee, Esq., an intelligent farmer of Hortonville, Vt. I have experimented with it for three years, and have been so well pleased with it that I have purchased all Mr. Brezee could spare for the last two years, and have engaged the whole of his small crop for another year.

"It has a stout, erect stalk, of medium height; large leaves; flowers freely; bears no fruit. The tuber is quite smooth, nearly cylindrical, varying to flattish at the centre, tapering gradually toward each end. Eyes shallow, but sharp and strongly marked. Skin thin, tough, of a dull bluish color. Flesh white, solid, and brittle; rarely hollow; boils through quickly; is very mealy, and of the best table quality. It is as healthy and productive as the Early Goodrich, matures about ten days earlier, and is its superior for the table. The cut is a good outline of this beautiful and excellent sort.

"I consider it the most promising very early potato with which I am acquainted, and I have tried nearly all the early sorts of the country."

How to Double Your Crop, when you have New and Rare Kinds.—In an ordinary hot-bed or cold frame, put some six inches of good, loose, rich soil; split your potato, and lay it cut side down about three inches under the surface. When the sprouts are four or five inches high, lift the potato, slip off the sprouts, and plant them.

You can then cut the tuber into single eyes, and plant as usual. The crop from the sprouts will ripen two weeks before the others. I made $40 this year by trying this with a handful of potatoes. Every reader is welcome to it, and may make as much or more than I did, if he secures a few pounds of the newer and costly but valuable kinds.

Early Goodrich.

A seedling of the Cusco of 1860. In 1862, Mr. Goodrich described it: "Round to longish; sometimes a crease at the insertion of the root; white; flowers bright lilac; (produces) many balls; yield large. Table quality is already very good. This sort is No. 1 every way." He said to me in the spring of 1864: "This early sort gives me more satisfaction than any other I have ever grown." This variety ripens as early as the Ashleaf Kidney; on rich soil yields from 250 to 350 bushels per acre; has never shown any disease; is white-fleshed, and of superior quality.

The above description by D. S. Heffron is fully sustained by my experience.

I noticed at dinner to-day, (Nov. 17th,) every potato in a large dishful had cracked its skin, and from most of them the skin had peeled itself half off.

Rev. W. F. Dixon, of Pine Grove, gives the results of his experience in the following note:

"Pine Grove, Mercer Co., Pa.,
September 20, 1868.

"A year ago last spring, a friend gave me three early Goodrich potatoes, which I planted four eyes in a hill, and last fall I raised over one bushel. I had the Buckeye planted in the same lot. The Goodrich produced about four times as much to the hill as the Buckeye."

Our country may well honor the memory of Rev. C. E. Goodrich, who, by persevering experiments and patient toil, has produced such wonderful results. His success should stimulate every farmer to make a similar line of experiments.

Potato Crop of New York State.—The total potato crop of the State of New York, this year, is about 25,000,000 bushels. The six great potato counties are Washington, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Monroe, St. Lawrence, and Genesee. Only one other county (Oneida) produces 300,000 bushels; three others, 600,000; one, 500,000; six, 400,000. New York county returns a crop of 1700 bushels. The entire crop of the State, 25,000,000 bushels, is raised on 254,403 acres of land. The three counties in the State which produce the most potatoes join each other, viz., Washington, Rensselaer, and Saratoga—their aggregate production reaching within a fraction of 2,500,000 bushels, or more than one-eighth of the total product of the whole State.—New York Observer.

HARISON.

Mr. Heffron gives the following account of this variety: "It is a brother of the Early Goodrich—a seedling of the Cusco of 1860. When two years old, Mr. Goodrich described it thus: 'White, large, not so deep eyes as the parent, nice.'" In 1863, Mr. Goodrich had eleven and a half bushels; and though it was a bad year for disease, and this a young and tender seedling, when he overhauled his seedlings, January 29th, 1864, he made this entry in his book: "All perfect, fine."

It has a smooth white skin, white flesh, and is the most solid of large potatoes, having no hollow at the centre. It is enormously productive, yielding as well as the parent Cusco, and exceeds all others; its form is good, table quality excellent; keeps well; ripens ten days earlier than the Garnet Chili, and thus far is as hardy as the Garnet Chili.

Among winter sorts this potato must soon hold as high a place as is conceded to the Early Goodrich among the early sorts.

To Keep Potatoes during Winter.—As soon as dry after digging, pick up and handle carefully; store in a dry, well-aired, cool cellar, free from frost, either in bins raised a little from the bottom of the cellar, or in barrels having at least two holes bored through the staves near the bottom, and lay the top head on, over a lath, so as to exclude the light without preventing a free circulation of air. Also sprinkle among the potatoes about half a pint of recently slacked quick-lime to each barrel. If bins are used, cover them over sufficiently to exclude the most of the light. Air the cellar all winter, as often as the temperature outside will admit of it.

CLIMAX.

It has a stout, erect stalk, of full medium height, internodes of medium length, and very large leaves; the tuber is above medium in size, quite smooth, in form of a short cylinder swelled out at the centre, occasionally slightly flattened, and terminating rather abruptly; eyes shallow, sharp, sometimes swelled out or projecting, and always strongly defined; skin medium thickness, considerably netted or russet, tough, white; flesh entirely white, solid, heavy, brittle, and never hollow, and it boils through quickly, with no hard core at centre or stem, is mealy, of floury whiteness, and of superior table quality.

Early Prince.

The Early Prince is a seedling of the Early York, and was propagated in 1864. It has proved to be from a week to ten days earlier than the Early Rose, as far as size and solidity are concerned, and from two to three weeks earlier in quality.