DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 205 



United States was devoted to (potatoes in 1909, while in Maine, 

 five and eight-tenths per cent, was so planted, and in Ai'oos- 

 took, seventeen and one-tenth per cent. 



These figures are a source of pride and gratification to all 

 her citizens; but even in Maine, a decided improvement m 

 yield and cultural methods is possible, although the problem of 

 the high cost of living demands that the larger production be 

 obtained without a corresponding increase in expense. There 

 are four principal lines along which progress may be made, — 

 by improvement in soil fertility; by improvement in methods of 

 cultivation and crop rotation ; by preventing injury by weeds, 

 msects and plant diseases, and by the use of better seed. 



The last is the one with which we are at present concerned, 

 and is perhaps the method by which the greatest increase can be 

 obtained at the least expense. Rental, fertilizer, preparation of 

 the seed-bed, cultivation, spraying and harvesting cost practi- 

 cally the same whether the seed be good or poor, and improved 

 or selected seed sometimes yields twice as much as that of 

 inferior quality. 



This subject of better seed at once resolves itself under two 

 heads, — the care of seed and its improvement. The care oi 

 seed may properly be considered first, bearing in mind the fact 

 that the tuber is not properly a seed at all, but is an under- 

 ground branch corresponding to the new wood growth of an 

 apple tree, while the eyes are really buds. Care begins in the 

 field in the fall and ceases only when planting is over the next 

 spring. 



Select the tubers to be saved from the best portion of the 

 field. After they are mature and do not peel or bruise easily, 

 dig them carefully, sort out all scab, blackleg and rough, dis- 

 eased or inferior stock, and store in a dry, cool, well ventilated 

 cellar. Care should be taken that the potatoes do not heat and 

 decay during the sweating process which they must undergo. 

 Potatoes which have been heated or chilled will not sprout 

 evenly and make a good stand even though they remain sound. 



During the winter, the cellar should be kept as near the 

 freezing point as possible, to prevent sprouting until the pota- 

 toes are taken out in the spring. Not only are the sprouts 

 which first start from the eyes of the tubers the most healthy 

 and vigorous, but the nourishment required for their develop- 



