The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-08
POTATOES.
. Reasons which Induce tho Belief that Sin.
gie-Eys Planting Il tho Better Way.

During recent years much has been
written about the culture of the potato.
All the various phases Of the subject
have been treated. from the breaking
of the ground to the disposal Of the
crop in market
We have learned much as to the
mechanical preparation of the soil. OF
and fcrt ~lizcrs. ~ well as the
general treatment of the crop during
growth. Single eye. two eyes. half and
whole potato planting. was discussed
and advocated by different writers.
The arguments for sing.e-eye cultiva-
ton are: More large tubers. closer
planting. and consequently =
profitable crop.
Nv Investigations into the so-called
''cyc" Of the potato convince me that
single-cye planting is in most pl'nts in
accordance with the natural laws of
growth. We all have seen how n Wig
orois shoot on some tree or shrub has
absorbed the sap so that smaller shoots
below very slowly developed or cven:u-
ally died Oh. The so-called law of ''Sur-
vival Of the Fittest," would seem to he
well illustrated in the growth Of our
high forest trees. by the vigorous
growth Of the topmost branches aud
dea'h of the lower ones.
Since the potato tuts.r is nothing else
than an underground branch. what we
call an eye is analogous to u l.af or
flower-bud on branches above ground.
~ fta,n h,rI. yrv,,,tnn ., I'm,
Der of leaflets or flowers. as I'm TIE aSe
of the cherry or apple. The same num-
Der Of shoots are produced by the eye
of the potato: thus. in examinin. them
under \ micro cope. We find from n
Ia six germs in xn eye. L. the Early
Rose / seldom met with more than
three. while burbank. Beauty of Hebron
aud Snowflake have rs high - six
germs or buds. Now. in all | have ex-
am ned. l invariably found the central
germ To be from wv to four times the
size Of any of the others; some which
had sprou,ed to the length OF nearly ar
inch were examined. and in a few in
stances onlv showed anv of the minor
germs which had doubtless been alb
sorbedby the central one. Again the
'ew that were lett did pot increase in
size. showing that the more vigorous
growth of the central germ prevent the
development. OF the minor one.
The presence of the minor germs Tor
buds) is a wise provision Of nature. In
c,se OF an accident 10 the main germ.
minor ones will. more Or icSs
develop. and in this way they serv. To
preserve the species. Letting potatoes
>prout before planting, ami then rub
bng them OFT, must necessarily he id
furious to the eyes. a. Il requires the
development of the minor germs, which
VII b. weaker. unless al abundant sup
ply of plant food is at hand. and the
weat.cr is favorable at the time Of
planting. II this central or main germ
is allowed to develop. We get one Wig.
orors plant. aud may expect large
tubers; viii e. on the other hand. ii tue
eve is forced 10 develop lis minor germs.
they W.T. all have an equal chance. and
the result will be probably from W. To
i've stalk, none of which will be strong
enough Ia produces larS. ;uhers.
Here it =. m To ni- an advantage is
t, b. gained by using u s,imulat NJ fer
tilizer in the hill or nri I. san u tina; will
aid the vigorous growth Of t.c msin
germ in sach \ way Is tina; the minor
germs will. perhaps. 10: develop. and
oae strong plant will be the result.
Many writers have found differences
in the yield of stem end and ''sccd
end exc As well as middle eyes.
| notice that both stem and seed end
eve. have smaller buds than middle
eyes Tie sceI aad eye are more
crowded, and sine. thes are stu It'd
At the growing end Of the tuners. tn.
eyes are not 20 fully developed. The
Stem end eyes. however. have plenty OF
room. and YET the bud are smaller than
the middle one. The claim that they
nroduc. later tubers IS No doubt true,
since they lack the start that the m;dil.
eyes have.
Owing to the presence Of cons ;derabse
prosop,asm. which was not consumed
in tse previous seasons growth. the
seen end eyes may mature somewhat
earlier than the central ones.
A suggestion To ~cult.vators NAV not
,e out Of place here: namely. thar they
make observations as 10 the numisr cs
stalks produced in single eye planting.
to G how many of the minor germs VIII
develop
The yield Of the potato varies so much
in quantity that we ought 10 Be inter-
.sted ia the aus of these differences.
and ask ourselves how much q this
can be ascribed to the mechanical pre-
'psratioa of the soil. how much to
manures and fertilizers, how much tn
the conditions Of the seasons and last
bat no least, how much 70 our mode oe
planting the timber: CT. Cbaaevy
Gsst!e1sh