Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-11-29
SELECTING SEED POTATOES.
Extract from Extension Bulletin Nc
g iowa State ColIooo

Extract from Extension Bulletin No
8, Iowa State College.
The man who practices grating
selects his scions from trees which
are productive because he knows this
character of productiveness is found
in each of the twigs on that tree
Likewise the potato breeder must Sc
lect his seed tubers from the hills
which are productive. Right here is
point worth remembering. 1t
matters not so much about the size
Of the potato as it does the kind of a
hill in which it was produced Was
1t the only potato in the hill? II 50,
it doesn't represent productive line
Of descent. How many potatoes
were borne in the hill? How large
were they? What was their shape
and quality? These are the funda-
mental questions. They determine
the desirability of the tuber as a
seed potato. 1t is better to plant a
small potato from hill which pro-
duced many big ones than to plant a
large potato from hill which pro-
duced many small ones.
If large crops are desired, selec-
tions from productive strains are es-
sential. Two hills may grow side by
side under conditions of soil, mois-
ture, food and cultivation almost
identical and yet one hill may pro-
duce sir or eight fine large tubers,
while the other yields only two or
three culls. What factor could cause
the wide diversity in returns if it is
not the difference in the inherent ten
dency to produce?
If it is desired to have the tubers
punched in a compact mass, seed
must be selected from hills Of that
character. If growing widely spread
in the hill is desired select seed from
such hills. If smooth potatoes arc
wanted, selection will secure that re-
suit. If the soil is wet and heavy,
however, the tubers will grow close
to the surface in a compact mass. If
it is light and sandy they will spread
much more. If the ground is rich,
black, heavy loan the tendency to-
ward pronginess will be more mark
ed. Of course, external conditions
always tend to slightly modify re-
suits. But with soil, weather and
cultural conditions the same, the seed
from compact hill will produce a
more compact hill than the seed from
a loose or spreading one.
AS yet little has been done in the
way of selection except by few men
who have made it their business.
Most farmers still plant every tuber
in sight, regardless of whether it
represents productivity or sterility,
or looseness. good quail
ity or poor quality. Some men have
learned that it pays to select seed
corn carefully Some day they will
earn that it pays just as well to take
as much pains with their seed pota-
toes. With high priced land and high
priced labor it must be done if divi-
lends on the capital invested are to
De received. This is one of the ways
in which the average yield of pota-
;oes in Iowa can be raised from SO
10 $50 bushels per acre.
A number Of experiments have
been conducted along this particular
inc. They all indicate strongly that
he selection of productive hills will
increase the yield. Pro-
lessor Golf, Of New York (Bul. 22S.
Cornell Exp. Sta.), found in 1899
hat thirty-two hills planted from
seed from productive hills of the
Snowflake variety yielded 1872 ounces.
while the same number from nom