Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-09-06
POTAT CULTURE

DuSnelS when QUARTERS di Z ploiiIS''. -
a number Cf tests the amount OF SEED
cut to eyes, spaced / by feet. aver
,gGd 10 bus,e per acre. the usua
range being from 10 to II bushes. In
IS experiments with many varieties,
&c average amount of seed cut tD sin
e eyes Was at these distances 6.3
! y, -hais rei acre tGe usual range be-
u. sSra % bushels, though the
e'z.. S WITH large tubers bea-i2g few
..4atrea considerably more SEED.
..ssszults Hl4ica follow in taese pages
zs..@ze.5 Stat it is generally advisable
If e cast ito 80 bushels per
Sic = seed Pieces.
=,.'a=s.@a=. = lie seed piece planted
49, aef 5tlGlas a.49aIs varies
.'... .1saa=z zstilg q i0eaaI ~
aaa#6s.HEs claiming 4uaHy
rea.#'s ne#a small eHsg ~ t.
y II .e.Glis :a5a question tIe stage
#t..=#.l# #ss1..s ta#eaHstatioas have
1.,z1- = Us tests OF seed pieces
= .=.s5.7f- Us Taken seRara5ety
49, aza Hflczets show certain
=3f Ii ef@eaee in results as
a. naturally be expected ef tests
conducted under widely different con
@lit9n8. However. the majority of
these tests. and especially the figures
expressing the average results Of
ail ssYailable American experiments,
HAY be safely taken as indications Of
What the farmer under ordinary con
Gitions will generally, but not always,
obtain.
If We compare all the total yields
With the total yield produced by sin
| Gle eyes We have an increase Of 2l
per cent. fer z-eye pieces, II per cent.
for quarters, 67 per cent for halves,
,nu 81 per cent for entire tubers. The
total yield resulting from planting
Whole potatoes is practically double
that obtained by planting single eyes.
Thus far we have considered only
the total yield, l. e.. large and sma'l
yield increases somewhat uniformly as
the size of the seed piece is increased.
lienee, if it is the aim simply to Sc
cure an enormous yield without much
regard to expense in contests for
prizes, etc. lavish use of sftd is
ustifiable. The farmer apd gardener,
however, have to consider other fac
ol.s than the total yield, for a heavy
70? may consist very largely of tubers
go small for the market, or the great
expenditures for seed when large
pieces are planted may more than
counterbalance the increased yield.
Before noting the gross and net yields
Of large Or salable tubers, resulting
rom seed pieces of different sizes we
may consider the causes inducing a
somewhat regular increase in tural
: yield accompanying the use of larger
seed pieces.
, Several causes operate to increase
The yield when large seed pieces are
| planted Ihe larger the cutting the
: greater generally the number of eyes
and the number of stalks. The young
shoot, before it develops a strong
J system of feeding roots, is dependent
for nutriment on the material stored
, up in the seed piece; hence the more
| abundant this supply the more vigor-
Gus the growth of the plant and this
increased luXuriance is not confined to
the early stages of growth, but is
; arked through out the growing seas IN
investigation has shown that severing
, the connection between the seed
piece and the growing vine, even
after the latter is thoroughly rooted.
reduces the yield of potatoes
, The danger of partial or entiA fail
ure resulting from an imperfect stand
. is much greater with small cuttings
than with large seed pieces The
small pieces With extensive cut sur
haCto are ldpiF W pellSH SHOuil the
season be unfayorable, either through
excessive moisture or drought. The
5prouts from small cuttings being
, weaker reach the surface with diff
ulty, or fail entirely on soil not prop
~ prepared.
Effect On Net Sa:able Crop.
Sefcre concluding that the largest
seed pieces are the most profitable il
ecomes necessary to deduct from the