The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-04-02

This is the season Of the year
when the farmer should pay particular
attention to seed potatoes. cautions
the department of agriculture, and the
use of high grade seed would increase
the returns from the potato crop of
the country by many millions of dol
lars. A conservative estimate of the
increase that might be expected from
the use of high grade seed is certainly
not less than 10 per cent. Such an In
crease based on the average produc-
ton of the last five years would
amount to over 100000 bushels,
having an approximate value of $21.-
100000. OF the many causes which
operate to produce low average po-
tato yield in this country, pure seed
is an important one. The American
potato grower pays too little attention
to his seed potatoes.
The European growers, especially
those of Great Britain and Germany,
pay very strict attention to the quail
ity and quantity of seed they use. This
has led to the differentiation of the
potato industry into seed and crop
specialists. The seed specialist makes
a business of producing high quality
seed, while the crop specialist pro-
duces high grade table potato. No
such differentiation, at least to the
same extent, occurs in this country.
While it is true that in certain Sec
tons there is a we'll developed seed
potato growing industry, but compare
lively few growers in these sections
are paying sufficient attention to the
elimination of diseased and unpro-
ductive strains, or to keeping the va
riety grown free from mixture with
other varieties.
Tuber-Unit Method.
BY far the simplest and most prom
Using means of developing high grade
seed potatoes is that of the tuber-
unit and hill-selection methods. The
former consists in selecting from the
seed bin before planting time con-
siderable number of the most per-
fectly shaped tubers of from to 8
ounces in weight. When planted these
tubers are quartered, as dropped, into
4 as nearly equal parts as possible.
This is done by splitting the bud-eye
cluster in each direction from seed to
stem end Of the tuber. The four
pieces of each tuber are dropped con-
secutively in the row at a distnce of
from 10 to IL inches apart in the fur
row. All tubers showing discoloration
of the flesh or other evidence Of dis
ease should be rejected.
BY allowing an additional space be-
tween each set of tours. the four
Giants from each tuber are definitely
isolated from adjoining ones, and the
grower can readily observe any varia-
tion in vigor and uniformity between
the units planted. This method also
enables him to detect any mixtures
that may occur in the variety.
At digging time the product Of each
unit is separately harvested. and a
further selection made from the
marked units of all those which most
nearly approach the size. shape and
smoothness desired. The selected
tubers should be numbered with both
field and unit numbers and separate
ly placed in small sacks. From each
Of the units retained. 10 of the best
tubers should be selected for the next
seasons planting. 1t is desirable to
maintain the study of each selection
on the tuber-unit basis the following
season because it permits a more &C
curate comparison Of the behavior of
each.
The hill-selection method consists
in marking the most promising plants
during the growing season. At har-
vesting time save only those which