s of
five hundred, describing the habit of the plant; size, form, and color
of the tubers; quality and general excellence; and comparative value for
cultivation.

They are obtained from seeds; the latter being quite small, flat, and
lens-shaped. One hundred and five thousand are contained in an ounce,
and they retain their germinative properties three years.

The process is as follows: "Select some of the largest and best berries,
or balls, when fully ripe, which is denoted by the withering of the
stalk; and separate the seeds from the pulp, and dry them thoroughly in
the sun. These should be sown in the following spring, and the produce
taken up in October. The tubers will then have nearly attained the size
of small plums. The best of these should be selected, and the product of
each plant carefully and separately preserved. In the month of April
following, they should be planted at a distance from one another of from
fifteen to eighteen inches; and, when they rise about two inches from
the ground, they should be earthed up slightly with the hoe,--an
operation which may be repeated during the season. When they have
arrived at maturity, they are to be taken up, keeping the product of
each stalk by itself; which product is again to be planted the ensuing
spring. A judgment of the properties of the varieties will then have
been formed, and those are to be reserved for cultivation which are
approved of. It will be found, that, whatever had been the character of
the parent stock, the seeds will produce numerous varieties, some white,
some dark, in color, with tubers of different forms, round, oblong, and
kidney-shaped, and varying greatly in the dryness, color, and
farinaceous character, of the flesh."--_Low._

ASH-LEAVED EARLY.

Stem nearly two feet in height, erect, with long, smooth, shining, and
drooping foliage; flowers very seldom produced; tubers white, roundish,
rough-skinned; flesh white, of medium quality. The variety is healthy,
and remarkably early; well suited to open culture, but not adapted for
growing under glass, on account of its tall habit.

ASH-LEAVED KIDNEY.

One of the earliest of the garden varieties, well adapted for forcing
under glass or for starting in a hot-bed, and subsequent cultivation in
the open ground. The plant is of spreading habit, and about eighteen
inches in height; leaves small, recurved; tubers of medium size,
kidney-shaped, white; flesh white, dry, and well flavored. Very