The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-01-31
Potato Growing.

/ noticed, in a recent issue of the
Prairie Farmer, an article on potatoes
and potato-eyes, which is at variance
with my experience and practice. 1
have had thirteen years. experience,
during which have made potato-rais-
ing a speciality and tried many expert
ments. a few of which now give your
readers for what they are worth. In
the first place, the planting of whole
potatoes is entirely contrary to my ex.
perience. For several years l planted
a small portion of my potato-patch not
only with different kinds of seed, but
with the same varieties, cutting the
seed in different shapes and planting
differently, but giving the whole the
same culture as the remainder of the
crop. Where have planted whole po-
tatoes, of whatever kinds, they have
invariably given me more potatoes in
the hill, but of so much smaller size
that did not get so large yield, and
the larger portion of what l did get
was almost worthless. As to the tops,
they were always more abundant, but
less hardy. The most notable example
l ever had of this, was two wears ago,
when | hired an acre of land from a
neighbor and planted it, May 10, to
Early Rose, he putting in half-acre of
the same variety, the quality of the
land being the same. The blowing was
done by the same man on the same day,
and planted the same day and in the
same way. The culture was about the
same, the only difference being that l
cut my seed to single eyes, and he plant
ed his seed whole. They were dug the
same day, my acre yielding 800 bushels
of fine potatoes, his o.ne-half acre yield
ing only twenty-eight bushels, of small
size and poor quality. Now as to the
difference in seed selected from the diff
ferent ends of the potato. This expert
ment was continued for three years, in
the following manner: First, by taking
the potatoes and cutting them into
two equal parts and planting the seed
or blow end in rows by themselves,
and the stem ends in other rows, al
ways the same distance between both
rows, and hills planted side by side;
cultivation the same. At digging time
the potatoes were dug and measured,
and in the three years the difference in
quantity was hardly perceptible, but
those from the stem end were the larg-
est with fewer in the hill. The second
experiment continued the same length
of time as the first, cutting the pota-
toes as before, putting seed and stem
end by themselves. I next cut each
piece into single eyes, planted them in
drills three feet apart, eighteen inches
apart in the row. side by side; cultiva-
ton the same. By this method found
that the seed or elbow" end gave me
not only the largest yield but the best
and most uniform potatoes every year.
Those from the seed end grew better,
and those from the stem end poorer.
This last experiment l tried twice with
the same result. Now / consider the
theory, that the stem end being the
best, which seems to be so very pop
ular. to have its foundation, if it has
any at all, based upon the simple fact
that where the seed end was planted by
itself and stem end the same, each end
was kept intact, and the seed end hav-
ing greater preponderance of eyes.
SO many potatoes formed IN the hill
that they could not grow to any size;
while the stem end. having but few
eyes, and many of them often failing to
produce a sprout, they had plenty of
room to grow and develop into larger
and better potatoes. After trying every
way of planting, from the whole potato,
half potato, and from five eyes. down
to one, putting from one to three pieces
in the hill, have come to the cOnclu-
sion that one eye to the piece and one
piece to the hill win give the best re-
Prairie Farmer.