DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 2/1 



ever before. It is also true that in almost every instance of this 

 kind, one of two things will be discovered; either the man's 

 methods of culture have improved more than enough to offset 

 the using of poor seed, or every year or two he buys new stoclc 

 from a neighbor who plants large seed and is taking some pains 

 in the matter of seed selection. Like tends to beget like; what- 

 soever a man planteth, that shall he also dig, and Nature is 

 no more to be cheated in this way than in any other. 



A great many good farmers select their seed in the cellar 

 when the crop is being racked for market, choosing only ideal, 

 smooth, medium-sized tubers for planting. This method is 

 good as far as it goes and to that extent is to be commended. 

 It has, however, its weak points which a simple illustration will 

 bring out. 



Two hills of potatoes are growing side by side in the field: 

 one is strong and thrifty, backed by a long line of vigorous 

 ancestry; the other is weak and spindling, and for several gen- 

 erations its parents have been the same. Each hill produces 

 eight tubers ; but the good hill contains six shippers and two 

 culls, while the poor hill contains two shippers and six culls. 

 The field is harvested and the two hills are turned into the bin 

 together. Of course, if only culls are planted, tnree-fourths of 

 the seed will come from the weaker hill ; while if large seed is 

 planted, three-fourths will come from the more vigorous hill. 

 But in the latter case, two potatoes from the weaker hill will be 

 planted, and no method of bin selection will be able to keep them 

 out or to tell the ancestry of a single tuber even for a single 

 season. The law of inheritance is just as strong in the potato 

 as in the dairy cow, and to the seed man, is of vital importance. 

 There are too many chances of soil, weather, and market condi- 

 tions which must be taken in the potato business to permit tak- 

 ing any chances by planting inferior seed. 



The above objection also holds true of seed selected at dig- 

 ging time from the row when the potatoes have been dug by a 

 machine. 



Doubtless the best method of seed improvement for the busy 

 farmer who lacks time and patience, is that of hill selection. 

 This method requires but little time and. with care and fore- 

 thought, gives excellent results. 



