The $100 Prize Essay on the Cultivation of the Potato.: Prize offered by W. T. Wylie and awarded to D. H. Compton.; How to Cook the Potato, Furnished by Prof. Blot. — John Shaqi
The $100 Prize Essay on the Cultivation of the Potato.: Prize offered by W. T. Wylie and awarded to D. H. Compton.; How to Cook the Potato, Furnished by Prof. Blot.Compton, D. A.
Science
The $100 Prize Essay on the Cultivation of the Potato.: Prize offered by W. T. Wylie and awarded to D. H. Compton.; How to Cook the Potato, Furnished by Prof. Blot.
Compton, D. A.
Agriculture; Plants, Cultivated; Potatoes
The Harrison, if it should do as well in the future as it has done in
the past, bids fair to become _the_ potato for general cultivation. It
has yielded in this section, on soil of moderate fertility, with
ordinary culture, one peck to the hill of uniform-sized, merchantable
potatoes. It is a strong, vigorous grower, and very healthy. Its
quality, though not the very best, is good. The Willard, lately
originated by C. W. Gleason, of Massachusetts, is a half-early variety.
It is enormously productive, of a rich rose color, spotted and splashed
with white. The flesh is white. In form and size it closely resembles
the Early Goodrich, its parent. It has not been extensively tested, but
certainly promises well. The Excelsior is said, by those interested in
its sale, to be very productive, and of most excellent quality,
retaining its superior flavor all the year round. It is claimed that old
potatoes of this variety are better than new ones of most early kinds,
thus obviating the necessity of having early sorts. The Excelsior is
said to cook very white and mealy; form nearly round, eyes prominent. It
has not been much tested out of the neighborhood where it originated.
But the potato-eater is yet unborn who can justly find fault with a
properly-grown Peach Blow. It is pronounced by many equal or superior to
the Mercer in quality, which is not the fact. It is emphatically a late
potato; and, though it does not yield as well per acre as some other
sorts, it is comparatively healthy; and its quality is such that it
always brings a high price in the market. In fact, but few other kinds
of late sorts could find sale if enough of this kind were offered to
supply the demand. Planted ever so early, it keeps green through the
heat of summer, and never matures its tubers until after the fall rains,
and then no potato does it more rapidly.
Grown on rich argillaceous soil, it will be hollow, coarse flesh, and
ill-flavored; but planted on such soil as is recommended, it is about
all that could be desired. It is a strong, vigorous grower; and one
peculiarity of it is, that insects will not attack vines of this variety
if other kinds are within reach.
Planted on extremely poor ground, it will, perhaps, yield more bushels
of tubers, and those of better quality, than any other variety that
could be planted on the same soil. Among all the old or new sorts,
perhaps, no potato can be found that deteriorates so little in quality
from maturity to maturity again. And, in fine, where only high quality
with moderate yield are desired, it has few if any superiors.
Many other varieties might be mentioned; but the list given includes
about all of much merit. New varieties are constantly arising, clamoring
for public favor, many of which are wholly unworthy of general
cultivation. One or two varieties, such as are adapted to the grower's
locality and market, are preferable to a greater number of sorts grown
merely for variety's sake.
INFLUENCE OF SOIL ON SEEDLINGS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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