A seedling of the Wild Bogota, of which one hill, in the second year of its growth (1853), yielded thirteen pounds of tubers, and one hundred and forty balls, failed from this cause in every hill in 1854, both here and in Virginia, whither I have sent it.

5. Resistance Of Dry Weather

Closely associated with the foregoing evil, and yet quite distinct from it, is the inability of some varieties to bear dry weather. In a damp season, like 1855, they yield largely; in a dry one, like 1856, very lightly. Some of the seedlings of the Oregon and Wild Peruvian are of this character. Other and more valuable sorts, as the Early Pink Eyes, Mountain Janes, and Carters, among the old sorts, and the Mountain June, Pink Eye, Garnet Chili, and Black Diamond, with many others of my new seedlings, are capable of retaining their vitality through a pretty long drought at midsummer, and then recovering and completing the growth of their tubers on the occurrence of sufficient rains. It is true, that such late growth is often unfavorable to the fine quality of potatoes for the table, as was painfully shown all over our country in 1853 and 1856; yet, in itself, as a sign of strong vitality, it is a most desirable quality. There is, of course, a degree to which dry weather may exist which nothing can resist Such was the summer of 1854. When the rains of September 8th came, there was no considerable power of resuscitation left in any variety of potatoes.

6. Fine Flavor

Most varieties of seedling potatoes, after their fourth year, will be found eatable at least in a tolerable degree when properly ripened. Indeed, I do not trouble myself on this point If the other qualities contemplated in this paper are secured, eatable qualities are pretty sure to be developed in due time. It is true, however, from causes which are to me inexplicable, that some potatoes, like some apples, even with the same degree of health and maturity, are superior to others for the table. The Carter and Winter Pink Eye are standing illustrations of this fact. In partial explanation of this fact, it may be remarked that most varieties increase in edible qualities with age.

7. Early Maturity

Potatoes, in order to be healthful, should usually mature by the close of the ordinary season of growth. The potato, as a mountain tropical plant, is capable of growing in cooler weather than any other tropical except the Nasturtian. When hardy varieties, on the approach of the cold nights and foggy mornings of autumn, are in a state of rapid growth, and are actually extending their branches and forming new leaves, their growth is never healthful. This is the reason why very late, planted crops and sorts, that at least are of late maturity, are less healthful than earlier sorts. The same thing is true of corn, melons, tomatoes, and even oats, and many other things. But when, on the approach of the weather just described, the potato exhibits vines of finished growth, though in a green condition, the tubers will continue to increase until the vines are entirely dry, and will mature healthfully. The reason is obvious. The elaborated material, stored up in the vine ready to be absorbed, was prepared in good weather. Beyond this, it may be observed that if potatoes, not eminently hardy, are cultivated in uncongenial seasons (such as exhibit severe and sudden changes, or hot and damp intensities), such potatoes will be likely to be diseased.

First If such adverse weather came very early - say late in June and early in July - before even early sorts have gained the full expansion of their foliage, then such early sorts will exhibit diseased foliage, and probably diseased tubers also. Meanwhile, however, late varieties, which are far from having made the utmost expansion of their foliage, will escape, or, at most, will suffer but a little injury of foliage. Secondly. If, on the other hand, such morbid weather occur late in the season - say in the month of August - the early sorts being already nearly ripe, will escape disease, while the late ones will quite certainly be injured, if not very hardy sorts. So, also, as already noticed, any sort not exceedingly hardy, is liable to disease in the cool, damp weather of late autumn. These remarks will explain what was considered an inexplicable fact in the early history of potato disease, viz: that in some years early sorts, and in others late sorts, were most exposed to disease.

There are many other considerations of importance in the culture of seedling potatoes, but the seven foregoing are perhaps the most important. The reader will by this time justly conclude, that the origination of one, much more of many, varieties of valuable new potatoes, is no easy thing. My present impression is, that it could be done with much more facility in Peru, Chili, or Oregon, than here, the great uniformity of the climate there being favorable. For this very reason, however, such sorts would probably not be the best adapted to our Unstable climate. From the beginning of 1849 to the close of 1854, I originated about 5,400 varieties. Of these, a few hundred were lost by frost in the winter. But of the multitude that remain, I have now but thirty-three sorts left, many of which I shall doubtless reject in a year or two. The 3,000 new sorts originated in 1855 and 1856, promise better; but even among them, the proportion of truly valuable ones will in the end doubtless be small.

The wise poulterer will hot count his chickens in the egg, nor when first nestling under the wing of their mother. He watches their passage through cold alternations, and dry and wet intensities of weather. So the cultivator of seedling potatoes feels little assurance at the end of the first, second, or even the third year/ of his culture. He waits the results of the fourth or fifth year before he feels assured of the permanence of good qualities which may have been exhibited the first year.

Many fine seedlings which promised exceedingly fair when I gave them out in their second and third years, have subsequently painfully disappointed both roe and the receivers, in some one or more of the seven preceding qualities. This accounts for the fact that so very few new varieties of potatoes secure an enduring reputation compared with the many that have been originated within a few years past. My friend, Dr. H. W., informed me, that out of a large family of seedlings originated by himself a few years ago, hut one highly valuable sort had been obtained.