Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-07
PROPER SELECTION AND
BREEDING OF POTATOES
tuy J. IL. Shcnpcr,I.I

| 1t is a common belief that potatoes
J run out or degenerate when grown In
any locality for several years. There
is no doubt Of the truth of this state
ment under ordinary methods of grow
reasons can exist for running out"
or degeneratinS Of any crop. Cd Uc-
generation resulting from prolonged
and possibly unnatural propagation by
means of tubers. - Deterioration
caused by change To An unfavor:lble
condition. C3) Loss OF vigor due to
| lack Of selection of tubers. The last
two factors we know are operative
under the usual manner of handling
the crop. However, ii is not always
true ana should never be where con
ditions are favorable. with expert
mental data on hand and similar data
secured from other investigators the
following statement may he safely
made. That in localities having soil
and climatic conditions favorable for
the highest development OF crop.
there will be no degeneration other
than variations. and variations are as
apt TO be beneficial As harmful. by
changing seed once in great whilo
varieties will he developed in other
localities having similar conditions
which will be nf value for introduce
ton. but the indiscriminate change Of
is poor practice.
Many potato growers seem TO think
il necessary To change seed every few
years They do not consider the pro-
ductivity OF the variety they are grow
ing, nor do they endcavor TO improve
it's yielding capacity. IT has been the
custom to change seed potatoes every
few years and the practice has been
followed without asking the reason
for It.
The potato is practically new crop
and the development OF good new va
rietics has been rather rapid. yet new
varieties now seldom surpass the
standard ones in yield or quality. New
varieties should not be grown until
they have been we'll advertised and a
market demand created.
The potato breeder and the expert
mcnt station can better afford TO de-
termine the value OF new varieties and
exploit their superiority. In cases
where the crop runs out, 1t is the re-
suit OF poor selection. poor soil or the
presence of disease and not dcgenera-
ton.
Another common tallacious belief lis
that potatoes mix in the hill. The
tubers Of most varieties vary greatly
as 10 size, color ana shape and this
has led many Ia believe that different
varieties mix or cross when planted
closely together. Selection should be
made for uniformity every year to
overcome this character Potatoes Of
white and blue varieties have been
planted together in hills at the North
Dakota and other experiment stations
and no mixed or blended color APP
peared
Hill selection should be followed on
all potato farms. The manner OF re
production is different than of mos;
farm crops. This has led to some con-
fusion as TO Inheritance of characters
The tuber grows AT the end OF "A short
underground stem of which Il is an
enlarged portion. Our commonly cul-
tivated varieties seldom blossom and
produce seed and this method of repro
auction is not employed except by
! potato breeding specialists. The pro-
per method for the potato grower is to
select tubers from the best plans al
, ways starting with the best variety
possible to secure.
Selection for discas. Resistance may
ana should be practiced. This cannot
De done with entire satisfaction unless
the SOIL is badly infested with diseases
q condition which the practical grower
should avoid. flights ana rots NAV
De oNerco'n" to a certain extent in this