The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-03-24
SAVE POTATO SEED.
Dc Not Try 70 Raise Crop FROM the
Left Overs in the Bin in
the Spring.

Il would have been We'll TO have Sc.
ected potato seed IN the field. when
the formation and thrift Of the tor
could be taken into consideration. anC
when the number Of welcomed and
medium sized potatoes in The hills
could have been known aud been used
In part as determining quantity.
For IL is not enough that tuber be
Of good size. 10 is desired that il be
one OF many OF the same size growing
from the same stalk. But the time
for that Kind of selection is past and
/ The farmer must 90 the next best thing
/ Il has been the habit Of many Of our
| farmers to put their potatoes IN bins
in the cellar retaining for themselves
for food and seed one large bin fun
/ The potatoes iu ibis bin are repeatedly
/ picked over for cooking tiil. when plant
/ ing time came iu thc spring most OF the
potatoes lofi were small ones The
planting of these small tuhers does not
affect the crop the first year but. When
continued. 70 does materially injure tho
size of the tubers grown and otherwise
deter the crop.
IL must be- remembered that the high
quality we now have in potato varieties
was put there by constant selection anc
breeding. and not by breeding alone
We cannot ignore this and retain the
value OF any variety. The running
out Of varieties is due 10 a very large
extent 90 the lack of care that Is showL
them by the man thai cutiyates them
In the selection Of potatoes in the
bin a few important points have to br
.oohed out for one Of these IS to select
medium-sized tuhers There is no OBJ
ject IN selecting oyergrown tubers. The
day OF big things has gone by. We wan,
medium-sized potato because that size
IS best for cooking and is economical in
preparing for the table A small potato
IS largely wasted unless II be cooked iu
rs skin. A common method is 10 peel
potatoes before they are cooked. and fOl
such work a small potato is undersira-
bic. Small potatoes are largely unsal-
able. Big potatoes lake too long TO
cook, and therefore are not regarded /
highly by the housewife.
A good deal Of attention should be /
paid 10 the smoOthness Of the potato |
as smooth potato is more economical |
to use than an uneven one. A potato /
with knobs all over it should not be |
selected for seed. 1t is not desirable /
to propagate the knobs as they are |
practically so much waste material. /
Another thing that should be looked /
after carefully IS the formation OF the
eyes. whether they are near the surface
Or are sunk deep into the potato. The
ones that lie near the surface are the
ones that should be propagated
The deep eyes are the cause Of much
loss in preparing potatoes for the
able. The one that digs them out Is
very seldom careful 10 cut close. and
he deep and wasteful gouges greatly
'educe the edible portion Of the po-
alto
Uniformity should be regarded in
making the selection. as that adds some
hing to the selling value Of potatoes
I will be seen that the selection should
'e made at as early period as possible
IS II will be difficult 10 get uniform LOT
ven at this time After many OF the po-
atoes are used or sold It will be stil
more difficult.
The above process repeated year by
ear will give an improvement in the
ariety being grown. and il is doubt
al II variety so treated will run out AZ