238 Bulletin 230. 



the plant may have room enough to form nodes to accommodate 

 the tubers which it is able to bear. 



(2) If planted deeper than six inches the moisture and temperature 

 conditions are unsuitable for the development of tubers on the first 

 one or two nodes. The tubers are of under size, immature, and 

 somewhat prone to scabbiness. 



(3) If planted shallower than three inches, the variation in tem- 

 perature and moisture is too great for proper development. The 

 tubers are crowded, and there is a large proportion of small, com- 

 pound, exposed and scabby tubers and also a tendency to produce 

 tubers on the stalk. 



(4) Tubers gromng between the depths of one and one-half and 

 four inches are of more uniformly good quality in appearance and 

 cooking, in good size, and good development, than those growing 

 deeper or shallower. 



(5) Long tubers which grow sloping in the ground Avill show a 

 difference in cooking quality (mealiness vs. sogginess) between the 

 bud end (end nearest the surface) and the stem end. The stem end 

 cooks more mealy. In most of such instances the stem end 

 is netted, while the bud end has a smooth surface. 



(6) Though it cannot be said definitely, it is believed that good 

 quality is developed under a uniform soil temperature of 65-75 

 degrees. Tubers gro\ving one and two to five inches below the surface 

 are subject to these conditions. Great fluctuation in temperature 

 is detrimental to the best development of potatoes. Tubers growing 

 above the one and one-half inch level are more or less subject to this 

 fluctuation. Uniformly low temperature below 65 degrees, is not 

 conducive to the best development and ripening of the tubers. It 

 may be also that soil texture has an influence on these favorable 

 and adverse conditions. 



