162 STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BULLETINS. 



"Let us take 50 different varieties of potatoes — all of the same size — 

 and cut them to two eyes. We shall find that some of the varieties will 

 give a perfect stand, and yield a large crop of marketable potatoes, 

 while others will give a very imperfect stand and a poor yield. The 

 same will be the case if the whole seed is planted. Some varities will 

 send up a dozen shoots, others only a few. The yield of the one may 

 be a large crop of small potatoes; of the other, a large crop of large 

 potatoes. The farmer can judge what sized seed to plant, when he sees 

 and knows his potato, how the seed has been kept, and how it will act 

 in his soil, and not until then — and there is no experiment station that 

 can tell him. 



"My experience has led me to answer all the inquiries: 'Use large 

 size pieces containing two or three strong eyes,' and that is the nearest 

 I can come to any fixed rule. 



"The advice to use 'whole seed' is very bad indeed. I feel assured if 

 followed out with certain varieties, a yield of small tubers will result 

 every time, while with other varieties the advice may be as sound as a 

 silver dollar. 



"The results at certain experiment stations, as well as my own, which 

 show that the best yields come from whole seeds, prove simply that 

 seed of some varieties, preserved in a certain way, and planted in a 

 certain soil and situation, will give the largest crops for the particular 

 varieties tried, and they prove nothing more." 



EYES ON THE SEED END AND STEM END COMPARED. 



"We have found that in many varieties the eyes from the 'seed end' 

 are the only buds which do push, either in the cellar or ivhen planted. 

 The 'eyes' of the other parts seem 'blind' or impotent. The pieces rot 

 in the ground. With other varieties every 'eye' will sprout, though 

 those of the 'seed-end' are almost always the strongest and the first to 

 sprout. 



"Hence it would appear that the size of the 'seed' to be planted should 

 be determined by the habit, so to speak, of the variety and not by any fixed 

 rule as to one, two, three eyes, half or whole seed. Hence it is, too tliat 

 reports of experiments to settle this vexed question are so contradicted. 

 We will guarantee that an experiment of this kind with my No. 2 seedling 

 would show that one-quarter of each tuber, including the 'seed-end' would 

 give a greater yield than three-quarters of the tuber without the 'seed- 

 end.' And we are further confident that if the seed of this variety were 

 cut in halves, one-half being 'seed-end' the other 'stem-end,' the stem halves 

 would fail'to sprout in about six cases out of seven. Again, if we were using 

 Wall's Orange or any other similar variety having many and prominent 

 eyes, we should reject the seed-end and cut the rest to two or three eyes, 

 depending upon the size of the seed tubers. 



"The loss of the yield from 'missing' hills is not well considered. In 

 many a thrifty field of potatoes it is not uncommon to find 20 per cent 

 of missing hills. One-fifth of the crop is thus sacrificed; or if the actual 

 yield be 200 bushels to the acre, the loss would be 50 bushels." 



PRICES FOR SPRING AND FALL. 



Through the courtesy of Prof. I. P. Roberts, director of the Ithaca 



