50
Dear Sir,—I regret to say that I have been most unfortunate in my experiment with the potato seed. I sowed about a quarter of an acre, in the centre of a large white crop field, and not one plant ever came up. I gave some seed to Lord 's gardener for him to sow, he was equally unsuccessful. I sowed also a small bed in my own garden, with great care, and only three plants came up. These three grew very well—immensely to shaws at least four feet in length; the tubers were, however, very small. One of the plants is of a distinctly different kind from the other two. The two appear to be coarse varieties, and would not suit us here. I am keeping the seeds carefully, and will plant them another season, which will better prove what they are, in respect to kinds. I think the ground being too dry must have been the cause of the seed not coming up last season. I remain, dear Sir, yours truly,
Seedlings and diseased potatoes were grown close to each other, in field diseased last season. Soil, gravel. Locality well ventilated. Manure, farm yard. Seed sown in rows in the usual manner [evidently in the field, like turnips, J. T.] in the middle of April. A little disease in the tops, none in the potato. I think your proposed plan of destroying all seedlings which become diseased, and propagating only from the tubers of those which do not become diseased, would make little or no difference in extinguishing the disease. It is my opinion it comes after thunder storms; rain alone will not produce it. I am very sorry to inform you of my loss. I had taken the greatest care of the tubers grown from the seed you sent me; they were large enough to plant next season, but I had them stored in the cellar, and the water came in very sudden and I could not get them out, so I have lost all my produce. Yours faithfully,
[I wrote Mr. King I should send him more seed, and I shall supply his loss with tubers grown from the seed last year, which were disease-proof here. I want to know if they will continue disease-proof in Bedfordshire, J. T.]
