No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. TOH 



ing tlie tuber in such position that the butt end is down, and start- 

 ing the blade slightly above the eye and cutting downward tow^ard 

 the center and butt end. Th€ eyes of the potato are terminal buds of 

 unseen '"branches," and the aim of this method of cutting is to divide 

 the potato without cutting a "branch" off near its bud. For single 

 eye-cutting, the system works well with most varieties, and fairly 

 well when cuttings are larger. There is no clear demonstration that 

 yield is favorably affected. Probably as good a rule is to seek com- 

 pactness in form of the seed piece. 



Jmpotent Eyes. — In some varieties there is a tendency to form 

 dormant eyes near the butt end, and this inclination is greater some 

 seasons than others. The eyes nearest the butt end start more 

 slowly than those near the tip end usually, and in many varieties the 

 most vigorous sprouts are well confined to the two-thirds of the 

 tuber having the tip end. In such cases regard should be paid to 

 this fact in cutting, preferring that an eye from the middle of the 

 tuber be joined with one near the butt end rather than that the piece 

 be so shaped that it contain eyes from butt end alone. ^\Tiere a 

 tuber affords only four pieces, the old-fashioned method of quarter- 

 ing through the tip end is as good as any, if not better; but for large, 

 long tubers I prefer clipping pieces off the butt end, if eyes are all 

 right, until a size for four pieces is left, when it is quartered. 



Clipping the Tip. — It is a common experiment with growers to clip 

 the tip end off "seconds," the thought being that the eyes there are 

 too numerous for proper nourishment of the sprouts. But Station 

 experiments do not justify such cutting, showing no increase in yield. 

 These eyes are often the earliest ones. It is very often the case that 

 only one or two of them sends a sprout above ground, appropriating 

 the strength of the seed piece. I prefer any eye that has been pro- 

 daiced near this end of the potato to one produced equally near the 

 other end. It is more sure to give a good account of itself. 



Budding in Light. — The practice of starting the buds, or eyes, in 

 the light before planting was introduced to secure earliness of crop 

 for market or home use. Having had no extensive experience with 

 this method, I quote the following description given in Bulletin 36 

 of the Rhode Island Station : 



''The most desirable seed tubers for budding are those about the 

 size of hen's eggs, sound and not mutilated in digging. They may 

 be reserved for the purpose when digging the previous crop, 

 and if allowed to become 'greened' by exposure to sunlight so 

 much the better, or they may be selected from the bin at any 

 time. During stormy days or at any convenient time during 

 the winter these seed tubers can be placed in the trays and 

 then stacked up anywhere in the cellar secure from rats andi frost 

 until wanted. The tray to be filled is placed upon a table or bench 

 and one end elevated about a foot by placing a box or measure under 



