From the fact that the United States produce about 109,000,000 bushels
of potatoes annually, it might be supposed a great many varieties would
be cultivated. Such, however, is not the fact. Of the varieties extant,
comparatively few are grown extensively.
Every grower's observation has established the fact that for quality the
early varieties are inferior to the late ones. The Early June is very
early, but its quality is quite indifferent. The Cherry Blow is early,
attains good size, and yields rather well. In quality it is poor. The
Early Kidney, as to quality, is good, but will not yield enough to pay
for cultivation. The Cowhorn, said to be the Mexican yam, is quite
early, of first quality, but yields very poorly. The Michigan White
Sprout is early, rather productive, and good. Jackson White is in
quality quite good, is early, and a favorite in some places. The Monitor
is rather early, yields large crops; but as its quality is below par, it
brings a low price in market. Philbrick's Early White is one of the
whitest-skinned and whitest-fleshed potatoes known. It is about as early
as Early Goodrich, is quite productive, and grows to a large size, with
but few small ones to the hill. Its quality is excellent. It has not yet
been extensively tested. The Early Rose is said to be very early, of
excellent quality, and to yield extremely well. It has, however, not
been very widely tested. Perhaps for earliness and satisfactory product,
the Early Goodrich has no superior. It is of fair quality, and though
some seasons it does not yield as well as others, yet, all things
considered, it is a desirable variety. The old Neshannock, or Mercer, is
among the latest of the early varieties. As to quality, it is the
standard of excellence of the whole potato family. But it yields rather
poorly, and its liability to rot, except on soils especially fitted for
it, has so discouraged growers that its cultivation in many sections is
abandoned. On rather poor, sandy soil, manured in the hill with
wood-ashes, common salt, and plaster only, it will produce in ordinary
seasons two hundred bushels per acre of sound, merchantable tubers, that
will always command the highest market price. Any potato cultivated for
a long series of years will gradually become finer in texture and better
in quality; but its liability to disease will also be greatly increased.
As an instance of this, it will be remembered that when the Merino and
California varieties were first introduced, they were so coarse as to be
thought fit only to feed hogs, and for this purpose, on account of their
great yielding qualities, farmers continued to cultivate them, until
finally they became so changed as in many sections to be preferred for
the table. Their cultivation, however, is now nearly abandoned.
Of the later varieties, the Garnet Chili, a widely-diffused and
well-known sort, deserves notice. It is not of so good quality as the
Peach Blow; but its freedom from disease, and the large crop it
produces, make it a favorite with many growers. The chief fault with it
is, the largest specimens are apt to be hollow at the centre. It ripens
rather early; and, even when dug long before maturity, it has a dryness
and mealiness, when prepared for the table, not found in many other
sorts. The Buckeye is extensively grown for market; its yield is not
satisfactory, and its quality is only medium. The Dykeman is yet grown
to some extent, but will soon be superseded.
The Prince Albert is a well-known and highly-esteemed variety,
approaching very near the Peach Blow in quality. One peculiarity of
this potato is, the largest tubers appear to be of as good quality as
the small ones. With proper soil and culture, it yields a fair crop; is
quite free from disease; and its smoothness, high flavor, and fine
appearance make it much sought after in the market.
The Fluke, a very late potato, is a great favorite with many who produce
for market. Its yield is very large; and its smoothness and uniformity
of size make it altogether a desirable variety. It is generally free
from disease. In quality it is rather above medium.
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.