POTATOES. 



25 



have obtained two bushels from it. There is something about 

 this matter that needs explanation. I should like to have 

 some one who has had more experience than I have in the 

 matter explain how that is. 



Mr. Low. I think I can explain that. Yesterday, I bought 

 potatoes for one cent a pound. We pay three cents a pound 

 for phosphates. I always plant large potatoes, marketable 

 potatoes, and would not plant any other, unless they were 

 very high, because I think that is the cheapest way to start 

 the germ, the life principle, of the potato. If they are only 

 thirty, forty, or fifty cents a bushel, I plant a whole potato ; 

 if they are seventy-five cents a bushel, I cut a good-sized pota- 

 to in two, and put one half in a hill. When potatoes are a 

 cent a pound and phosphates cost three cents a pound, I think 

 it is more economical to start the little germ with the potato, 

 for it gives up its life to its successor, than to buy phosphates. 



Question. Is it not a fact, that if you plant a whole po- 

 tato, you have a great many more potatoes in the hill than 

 if you plant one or two eyes, and, being crowded, they are nat- 

 urally smaller ? My experience leads me to think that is so. 



Mr. Low. If you plant whole potatoes, you will have very 

 few more sprouts than if you plant pieces. If you plant a 

 whole potato, there will not be more than "five sprouts, and 

 they will be strong and vigorous ; whereas, if you cut it up, 

 the sprouts will be small and spindling. I have planted fifteen 

 bushels to the acre. 



Mr. Stewart, of Middle Haddam. The best success that I 

 have ever had in raising potatoes, in respect both to yield and 

 size, has been where I have planted no potatoes at all, but 

 took the sprouts and cut them up, as you would a verbena or 

 a grape vine, or anything that is propagated in that way. 

 Two years ago I tried the experiment of setting out sprouts, 

 and I also planted large potatoes and small. They were the 

 Early Rose, those raised from cuttings, and were fit to eat 

 some ten days earlier than the others, and produced the 

 heaviest crop. If a man is going to plant ten or fifteen acres, 

 it would be a great deal of trouble. I know of one man who 

 planted six acres from four Early Rose potatoes, by cutting 



