The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-08-14

of the crop more than repays for the in
creased weight of the seed. 1t follows, of
course, from their theory, that large potatoes
instead of small ones should be used for seed
When large potatoes are used the distance.
between the seed may be somewhat increased.
The reason of this superiority of large seed is
thus explained. During the period of early
growth the plant derives its nourishment en-
tirely from the mother potato, and its vigor
will depend on the amount placed at its dis
posal. If the early growth is vigorous, hold
is sooner obtained on the soil, and larger
and more mature crop is the result.
The second conclusion is that there is
great difference in the propagating values in
different eyes. The crown eyes of the pola-
to are the only ones which yield vigorous
plants; the produce of the other e, was
found to be feeble and unremuneratiye, If
therefore potatoes are cut for seed, they should
not, as is usual, be cut in their length, by
which the crown is divided and eyes OF all
kinds introduced into the seed, but they
should be cut across, the half containing the
crown-eyes planted, and the other half con-
sumed as food. The very best results are re-
ported when large potatoes are taken, all
eyes excepting those of the crown cut out, and
the whole remaining potato planted. Step
Ter points out that the potato is an under
ground stem, and the crown.eyes the buds at
the end of the branch; that the terminal buds
OF branch are always far more vigorous than
the lateral buds, any one may ascertain by
watching the growth of trees and shrubs in
the early summer season. The degeneration
of varieties of potatoes is believed by some OF
the German experimenters to be largely due
to repeated propagation from small potatoes
and feeble buds.
The two laws of propagation just noticed
are strikingy illustrated by the experiments
of Franz. His experiments, carried out in
garden soil, gave crop per acre OF four tons,
where the seed used was tubers divided in
their length; of seven and'one-half tons with
whole tubers as seed; of nine and three-quar-
tiers tons using the crown of tubers; and of
eleven and one-half tons to the acre where
the seed was whole tubers, eyes other than
crown removed. Several other experiment
tiers in the same line all conclude that whole
tubers divided in their length; also that the
crown half of the potato yields decidedly
larger crop than the half obtained by division
through the length; but they do not, like
Franz, find that the crown half is generally
superior to the whole tuber.
Another recommendation made is to ex-
pose the seed freely to light and air before
sowing. Heiden and others conclude that
the best distance for planting in medium
cOus ID IWcuIy-clSut IuCAco UcIWccH Iue TOWS
and fourteen inches between the seed. Their
results show that both the total crop and the
percentage of large tubers are increased by
wide planting up to this limit, of course vary
ing with the character of soil and manures,
as well as of the size Of the seed used.
Drechsler has some field experiments on
the effect of Overlapping the soil upon the
young plants The seed had been sown on
April 21; at the beginning of June the rows
were earthed up, each alternate row being
completely covered with earth, so that the
vine was not visible. The crop was harvested
in October, when the over-heaped rows gave
less crop by nearly seven tons per acre. In
another experiment, in which the earth did
not quite cover the top of the vine. the de-
ficiency from this over heaping was about
two tons to the acre. With the potato-as
with every other pant-a vigorous growth
of leaf is an essential condition for the pro-
duction of large crop. With the exception
of the ash constituents, derived from the
soil, all the matter stored up in the tuber is
first formed in the leaf and thence trans
ferred to the underground organs. Any treat
ment hinderiDg the leaf gro with is an injury
to the crop.-BOston Cultiuator.