646 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7 GEORGE V, A. 1917 



good quality of stock. Some years are much more favourable for the production of 

 good seed than others, and in favourable years home grown seed gives very good results. 



DIFFERENT DATES OF PLANTING TUBERS FOR SEED PURPOSES. 



For a number of years it has been claimed that 

 results for seed purposes than tubers fully matured, 

 information on this point, and also in order to devise 

 toes could be produced at home, tubers were planted in 

 tubers from these different plantings sown in separate 

 Two varieties were used in this test, viz. : Empire State 

 ing table gives the results of the test: — 



immature potatoes gave better 

 In order to gain some definite 

 a way whereby good seed pota- 

 1914, at different dates, and the 

 plots on the same date in 1915. 

 and Early Sunrise. The follow- 



It will be noticed that, with both varieties, the seed from the earliest planting in 

 1914 gave the lowest yield in 1915, while the seed from the planting of June 22 in 1914 

 gave the largest yield in 1915. The planting of July 3 in 1914 produced seed which 

 gave only moderately good results in 1915. This would appear to bear out the idea 

 of immature seed and would also indicate that seed might be too immature. As further 

 experiments are being conducted along this line, more data should be forthcoming in 

 a short time. 



SPROUTING OF SEED POTATOES. 



An interesting experiment to show the value of sprouting seed potatoes, a method 

 much employed in Great Britain and Ireland, was conducted this past season. The 

 tubers were sprouted where there was light, thus they produced a short, stocky, 

 green sprout, rather than a long, slender, white one, which would have been the result 

 of sprouting in darkness. To sprout large quantities, the tubers are merely piled on 

 the floor in a light, warm room, having the pile about two to three tubers deep. If 

 left in this manner for some days, they will soon produce strong sprouts, which will 

 not break off when the tuber is handled. 



At planting time these tubers are then cut into large pieces and planted in the 

 usual manner. A little care is necessary in handling the sprouted tubers, but the 

 extra cost of handling is very slight. Sprouted sets should be hauled to the field in 

 boxes, not in bags. 



Ottawa. 



