The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1910-02-10

else. HOOu RlVer mas a reputation
for apples that makes them coz
more to the consumer on the eastern
market than the eastern apples by
two or three times. This reputa-
tion was gained by packing apples
that did not have an imperfect
specimen in car. Do not put in
a package a potato that you would
not serve to a guest at your own
table.
SELECTION OF SEED
"Of all the factors in potato grow
ing, selection of seed is by far the
most important Some twelve years
ago the writer undertook to i'm
prove and develop a potato along
the same lines that he follows in
improving his Shropshire sheep and
ShOrthorn cattle, using the best
method of selection and giving the
seed plat the best possible cultiva-
tion and irrigation in order to OBJ
tain uniformity of product. Since
that time he has been selecting seed
potatoes of the size and type which
he wants to produce. AS 12-ounce
potato is about the ideal size, seed
potatoes of that size were selected
from the bin in the spring and then
or 5 acres were planted in spec
ial plat for seed, to be used for the
main crop the following year. This
plan was followed for twelve years
with potato (the Perfect Peach
blow which it is said would de-
generate and ultimately run out;
but that potato continues to improve
during all that time.
Three years ago Prof. 2. f.
Bennett, specialist in potato work
from the East, came to our state
agricultural college, He became
interested in the work the writer
was doing and freely complimented
him on his success in potato pro-
duction; but he wanted to take up
and further improve the stock. Out
of specially selected seed he select
ed perfect tubers and planted them
in a field by themselves, and when |
the potatoes were ready to harvest |
we dug all of them by hand and /
kept the product of each hill separ-
ate. All hills that did not have 20
tubers of uniform size, without knot,
crack or rough end were discarded.
No hill was selected unless it came
within these requirements, and sur
prisingly few hills were found
which passed muster. Enough
were selected, however, to make
about 200 pounds, and these were
planted the following spring. When
harvested it was a most marvellous
row of potatoes. By pursuing this
method it is hoped soon to have
potato that will make % perfec, tu-
bers to the Lill.
Had we bred Shorthorne cattle
rs we have been in the habit of Sc
Getting and breeding our seed pota-
.oes, we would now have no breed
If Shorthorns. If we used only
he culls and scrubs to breed from,
,ur breed of stock would soon run
,ut. These breeds have been {
,rought to their present standard by
the best on scientific prin-
iples of breeding. One reason why
potatoes have degenerated in the '
,ast is that the pototo growers OF q
he United States have planted their
ulls and screenings under the err
oneous impression that such meth I
DIS in seed selection would produce {
S good results as any other. t
'In selecting potatoes in the field, {
dependence can be v
laced on the appearance of the tops, ?
large perfect top, with several
TENS of good shape and size, can be
epended upon to have more tubers
nder it, and of more uniform quail
y and size, than hill with sin
lie stalk or one with small weak
ems
Zone of the essential and most i'm
ortant factors for success in this o
ldustry is the selection of perfect "
sed stock from the hill, in much G
le same way as seed corn is selected D
the field from the best individual fl
alks. There is no other way to h
It true breed characteristics in po- il
toes exeept=by ysclcetins. seed from i,
e perfect hills, and seed should be "
we'd from hills producing a first
ass marketable potato in the grow D,
Continued on Page 3.