Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-07-02
RESULTS OF SCIENTIFIC FARM
EXPERIMENTS.
As Carried Forward at the Ohio and
Other Ag griculturalE Experiment
stations-Timely Hints
for Farmers.

Bulleton 10 of the Kansas experiment
station, at Manhattan, reports the fol-
lowing instructive experiment with po-
tatoes:
The question of the influence of diff
ferent qualities of seed upon ths earli-
ness and productiveness of a giveU va
riety of potatoes is one that has been
much discussed and the following ex-
perimental planting was made to test
the value ofthree qualities of seed which
we had in store: The seed of lot l was
grown from planting made the mid
die of March and harvested and stored
in the cellar as they ripened. They
had sprouted badly during the winter,
and were good deal shriveled. Lot
was from the main planting made
the latter part of April and dug and
stored in September. The tubers were
quite firm, and had sprouted but moder-
ately. Lot 3 was seed from a second
crop grown in 1889 in the following way:
A few hills each of several sorts, from
the plat which produced the seed of lot
l, were dug July 11th, and the potatoes
planted the same day on ground that
had been cleared of early peas. These
gave light yield of tubers of even size
and of very fine quality. When taken
from the cellar for planting they were
as firm and free from sprouts as when
stored.
Three pounds of each of the above lots
were cut to three-eye pieces, and plant
ed March IS. With one exception, the
sort in lot 8 were from five to eight
days later than the others in coming up,
while between lots and no difference
could be noted.
The vines of lot 8 when they came
were much stronger than the others
and in few weeks overlook and out
grew the other lots, making a much
more vigorous and heavy stand.
The date of blooming, though not
varying uniformly on the whole, favors
the vigorous plants Oflot 3 for earliness,
and shows that the mparatively weak
and slender plants of lot bloomed lat.
er, or in three cases failed to perfect
bloom.
The date at which they afforded pota-
toes of table quality did not vary appre'
ciably in favor of either; but the prod
uct, both in quantity and quality, was
largely in favor of lot 8.
While the product of lot 2 was not, in
all cases, much ahead of lot in weight
the per cent, of marketable tubes was
greater, and these were of greater aver.
age size.
Summarizing the results of this tria
we lear: nfirst, that nothing is gained il
earliness by the use of second-crop seed
second, that there is positive gain il
amount of product, as we'll as size 0
tubers, over that of first-crop seed growI
in the same locality; third, that firm
well kept unsprouted seed is better thai
that which is sprouted and shriveled
givinga a heavier product of better siz
and quality. These inferences may no
be conclusive, but seem to be fairl,
deducibIe from the above results.
Still further to test the practicability
of growing the second crop of potatce
in one season, five pounds of seed Q
each variety in lot 8, as above mention
ed, were dug July %, and planted tn,
same day, cut in half. These came u
rather unevenly the same fault havin
been noticed in the previous tria
The product was of unusally fine quail
ty, and the yield very good one, ,whe
it is considered that potatoes of ordir
ary planting were almost failure il
this section of cuntry.
The list, with estimated yield pei
: acre, is as follows: Cuyahoga, 175.;
bushels: Durham, 1912 bushels; Earl
Harvest, 98.8 bushels; Early Washing
ton, 74.2 bushels; New Queen, 99.;
bushels; Rochester Favsrite, 142.
bushels; Thorburn, 7l.0 bushels; Var
. guard, 67.2 bushels; White Prize, 1O2.
bushels.