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.

The work begins with a brief history of a $100 prize offered in 1868 to encourage the best treatise on potato cultivation. Written by a lifelong farmer who tested his ideas in the fields of Pennsylvania, the essay blends personal observation with scientific experiment to produce a practical handbook for anyone wanting to grow the humble tuber. Its purpose is straightforward: to equip novices with the knowledge needed to produce a plentiful, high‑quality harvest and earn a solid profit.

Compton devotes considerable attention to soil, explaining why warm, dry, sandy loams enriched with decayed vegetable matter yield the finest potatoes, while heavy clays produce coarse‑fleshed tubers. Detailed guidance covers land preparation, planting depth, crop rotation, and the use of humus, as well as selecting and caring for the best varieties. An accompanying section on cooking, supplied by Professor Blot, rounds out the text, making it a useful reference from sowing to dinner‑plate.