The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-03-20
THE SUBJECT BEING POTATOES.
How to Plant them, and How TO At.
tain the Best Success In Raising

them.
At recent farmers institute at Batavia,
New York, Prof. f. S. Golf, of the State Ag'
ricultural Station. Geneva, gave talk on po-
tatoes, illustrated with diagrams. For GEN.
tury or more, New York has been known as
the Empire State. 1t is also entitled 10 the
name Potato State. One-siXth Of all the po-
grown in New York. How shall we prepare
the seed? Shall we cut 1t, and into how
many pieces? In 1888 he commenced a series
he grew on plat of one-twentieth of an acre re
lS5 pounds; from seed cut In two pieces lSl
pounds, and from single eyes l97 pounds. IN IN
1884 from whole 800 pounds. from halves Z!S 1.S
bushels per acre. These experiments repeat
ed in subsequent years showed similar re-
suits, teaching us that whole tubers or large
pieces produced better crops than small pieces
Are Small, whole potatoes as good for seed
as large? In one experiment. tubers the size
of hens eggs produced l65 bushels; size OF
black walnuts 155 and the size OF hickory
nuts lis. In an another experiment tubers
the size of hens eggs ITO, of black walnuts 75 OF
hickory nuts IS. This would seem to indicate
that large tubers whole, are better than
small. Excessively large tuoers snow no
ISa What part Of the tuber will give best yields
The results of three years. experiments com
bined, show following results: SEED end i9o;
center l73; stem end ll9. When cut Into v two
pieces, the seed end will yield most The
seed end will sprout first, grow first and seem
most vigorous
Can we make anything by selecting our
seed as with corn? 1t Is question Whether
onr falling to do so may not be cause OF po-
tatoes running out. In 1884 they dug thelT
potatoes keeping the contents OF every nill
Separate. Picked out the most productive
and least productive bills, selected best OF
each and planted. The yield, per eye, was S9L
per hundred eyes from seed OF large hill ana
80 for small hills. The next year, following
the same course, result the same, and the
smallest tuber from large hills produced
more than largest from small hills Every
experiment from q great number Varleties
resulted similarly. By selection of our tubers
from largest hills will gain in crop: Potatoes
are buds: will using stronger buds In trees
and plants produce stronger growth?
Is anything gained by cutting? certain
weight out Of large potato and same Welghi
of small in 1886, the whole tuber produced
best results. In 1887 the cutting done In
March, yielded best uut the total was less.
His conclusion; 1t makes but little difference
whether cut or not. A slightly larger yield ol
small potatoes in cut, but not Of merchanta
BILE ones. Grows his potatoes three and one
half feetapart by one and one-half Oh Two
feetfn rows. In answer to questions: Plats
one-twentieth of an acre. Practices level cul'
ture, seed pretty deep-three or four inches
latter better than former. Would cut length.
wise Up to ten days there seemed to be nc
loss in vigor by cutting before planting; al.
ter that they lost Drying the pieces did not
cuuSe the potatoes to rlpen earlier.