POTATOES TO PLANT. 171 



off the top of the ground, destroying the first sprouting of the 

 weeds. 



Mr. Huntington. About what time do you plant ? 



Mr. Ware. Just as early as the land will do to work. That, 

 of course, depends upon the weather. I don't like to stir the 

 land until it will work friable and light. I don't like to have it 

 clammy when I work it. 



Professor Chadbourne. Have you noticed any difference 

 between planting potatoes when cut, and waiting some days until 

 they become dry ? 



Mr. Ware. I cannot say as to that. It is very common with 

 us to leave them several days. In the spring we are very busy, 

 and if we have a rainy day we take hold and cut our seed pota- 

 toes ; and if they are not put in for a week it is no matter, or if 

 put in the next day, we consider it all the same. 



Mr. Huntington. Do you think there is any difference 

 between the sprouting end of the potato and the other end in 

 maturing ? 



Mr. Ware. I don't know as to that particularly. I think 

 that potatoes that come from the sprouting end are smaller than 

 those that come from the eyes at the other end ; but whether 

 the one ripens or matures earlier than the other I cannot say. 

 I have never been particular to avoid the sprouting end or the 

 other end ; I plant them both together. Now and then a hill of 

 potatoes, or a plant in a hill, is more forward than the others. I 

 attribute that to a difference in the seed potato. Sometimes 

 they are a little mixed. The very best of the early potatoes I 

 think is the Shebago seedling ; and among that seed there is a 

 portion that will ripen earlier, but yields a small crop, and we 

 avoid that in selecting our seed. We go along on the side of 

 the rows and pull out or dig out any plant of that kind and get 

 it out of the way, so as not to have it in the seed the coming 

 year, because it yields a small crop and is therefore objectionable. 



Mr. Huntington. It shows a different top ? 



Mr. Ware. It shows a smaller top. 



Professor Agassiz. What is the value of the potato crop, 

 altogether, upon the farm ? I ask this question with reference 

 to the historical fact, that hundreds of years ago potatoes were 

 grown nowhere ; the whole European civilization had grown up 

 before potatoes were in use in any way. I should like to know 



