160 STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BULLETINS. 



DIFFERENT SIZED PIECES WITHOUT REGARD TO NUMBER OF EYES. 



Conditions of the experiment: 



Amounis of seed, small potatoes cut into four pieces, into halves, and 



whole potatoes: 

 Method of planting, trenches. 



Table XXI. — Different numbers of eyes to the piece. 



Seed. 



One-qaarter potato. 



One-half potato 



Whole potato 



Total 

 yield. 



230.41 



256.66 



278.66 



" It w411 be seen that the whole seed gave 48 bushels per acre more than 

 quarter pieces and 22 bushels more than half pieces. But the number of 

 unmarketable potatoes increased with the size of the seed, the whole 

 pieces giving the greatest number, and the half pieces next, and the quarter 

 pieces fewest." 



" Potato skins cut to single eyes, May 2Gth were planted in well prepared 

 ground, 87 pieces of potato skins, each having a single strong eye, 6 inches 

 apart in the drill. The 37 pieces weighed two ounces. Three grew and 

 the yield was half a dozen potatoes as large as marbles. The experiment 

 was made to test the^value of a positive assertion on the part of a ' well- 

 known ' farm writer that such eyes would yield as well as those to which 

 tlesh is attached." 



" EXPERIMENT TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH FLESH EACH EYE SHOULD HAVE 

 WHEN PLANTED TO PRODUCE THE MOST PROFITABLE CROP." 



''Test 46 A. The seed jDotatoes were selected all of the same size, and 

 peeled, all eyes being cut off except the strongest near the middle — that is, 

 whole potatoes were peeled so that but one eye was left with a ring of skin 

 about it. It would be equivalent to cutting out all the eyes but one, and 

 then planting the whole potato as if it were a seed piece with a single 

 strong eye. The variety was the Peerless; the amount of chemical potato 

 fertilizer used was 1,000 pounds per acre. They were planted one piece 

 (4 inches deep) every foot in trenches (spade wide) 3 feet apart; culti- 

 vation flat. The yield was at the rate of 806.66 bushels to the acre. The 

 best five weighed 3 lbs. 3 ozs. There were of large and small potatoes 

 at the rate of 140,560 to the acre, or 9| to hill. 



"Test 47 A. The pieces were cut as shown by figure 3, and of that 

 size. They were planted, as in 46 A, 3 inches deep. So many of the 

 pieces either failed to sprout, or died after the sproiiting, that no estimate 

 could be made of the yield per acre. 



"Test 48 A. In this test cylindrical pieces were cut through the 

 potato, with a strong eye upon one end, and planted 4 inches deep. 

 The yield was at the rate of 211,75 bushels to the acre. Of large and 

 small there were at the rate of 87,120 potatoes to the acre, or six to a 

 hill. 



"In order to ascertain how much flesh should be left to an eye or 



