150 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



genial circumstances, and thus it deteroriates year by year until our 

 best varieties become in a few years well nigh worthless. 



Cultivators have been endeavoring to keep up varieties by fre- 

 quently ordering seed tubers from the North, which is entirely unnes- 

 sary, as we can grow better and more productive seed tubers in thia 

 climate than can be procured at the North, and all that is necessary 

 to produce tubers, stored with the greatest amount of nutriment for 

 sending up a stout and healthy plant, is to anticipate its natural season 

 of growth and habits; and we may commence with any run-down 

 stock of any desirable variety we may have on hands by planting 

 early varieties, early and in good ground, and give good culture, and 

 when the tubers grow to a size and condition that we term mature^ 

 and before the fibrous or feeding roots and stems and foliage commence 

 to die and draw away the nutriment stored in the tubers for future use 

 of the plant in its next season's growth, take up the tubers and select 

 as many as is desirable to raise a sufficiency of seed tubers for next 

 spring planting, and spread them in the sun to wilt three or four days^ 

 (and store the balance of the crop as to directions hereafter given). 

 This drying and wilting process changes the composition of their juices 

 and sap by absorbtion of light and heat, and other elements from the 

 atmosphere similar to that they undergo during their nine months 

 nest in their native home under their snow covering, and are ready for 

 another season's growth, and may be planted the 5th or 6th day at 

 most after digging, just as though it was spring again, in good, well 

 prepared ground, cut or not just as you prefer. I prefer whole tubers. 

 If cut, they should be cut say twenty-four hours before planting, so 

 that the cut surfaces may dry and heal somewhat before planting. It 

 is very beneficial to roll in plaster or dry ashes when fresh cut. Give 

 good culture, as for the early crop, and in the fall the growth of tops will 

 be checked about the right time by jack-frost. Late varieties that re- 

 quire too long a season to secure two crops may be held over until the 

 10th to last of June, so that they may have just sufficient time ta 

 mature by frost. Harvest as soon after frost as possible, and whatever 

 method of harvesting may be adopted, it is absolutely necessary to 

 nse some method to keep the tubers from exposure to sunlight and 

 heat, which gives them a disposition to sprout at a low temperature 

 during winter. Gather up as fast as dug out, and put in moist gunny 

 bags or anything that will exclude the light and heat, and prevent 

 wilting, until they are put into their winter quarters, which should be 

 perfectly dark and sufficiently moist to prevent wilting. If they sprout 

 before spring, it is evident that they have been exposed too much to- 



