31 



or small whole tubers." In iiuotlier exi>eriiiient, the <let;iils of which 

 are not recorded, two lai'^e, whole potatoes to the hill yielded more mer- 

 chantable tubers than did one. It is therefore thought probable that 

 the smaller merchantable yield of the halves and whole potatoes in 

 1889 was due to the dryness of the season. The tests made at this 

 station, as a whole, fav^or heavy rather than light seeding. 



CuttiiKj off the " seed ends" of potatoes. — The cutting off of the cluster 

 of eyes at the "seed end" of the potato before planting is sometimes 

 advocated, on the assumi)tion that the tendency to produce small tubers 

 is thus reduced. An experiment made at this station the past season 

 tailed to justify this practice. The yield of merchantable i)otatoes was 

 considerably larger, and that of small potatoes less when medium-sized 

 potatoes were planted whole thau when three fourths of an inch was 

 cut from the "seed end" before planting. These results agree with 

 those obtained at the New York State Station in 1888.* "An experi- 

 ment in dipping the cut surface of seed potatoes in jdaster before plant- 

 ing failed to show any advantage for this treatment." 



* Now York State Statiou, Eeport for 1888, p. 186. 



