15 Nov., 19U».| Cltaiu/r of Seed of Potatoes. 651 



IS CHANGE OF SEED NECESSARY IN THE 

 CULTIVATION OF POTATOES? 



By J. T. Ramsay, Potato Expert. 



The eliangiiig of seed potatoes from one soil to another is a procedure 

 Vvhich for years has supplied subject for argument amongst growers, 

 without any definite conclusions being arrived at. 



The opinions of those interested in the industry vary widely. Some 

 growers contend that the seed for heavy land .should be secured from 

 a crop grown on light soil, and vice versa. 



In many districts, the consensus of opinion is that the produce of 

 warm climates should be sown in cold districts, and vice versa. 



It is asserted by other growers that degeneration can be prevented 

 and disease-resistant power enhanced by a change of seed, and so on " 

 ad infinitum. 



N'one of these opinions are backed up by tangible proofs, and there 

 is quite a lot of variation in the particular beliefs of the believers. 



Growers in the southern States of United States of America show an 

 increasing tendency to obtain their seed from the northern States, even 

 though the expense involved is material. Terry, in his A.B.C. of Potato 

 Culture, page 71, states that he would prefer northern to southern grown 

 .seed for i^lanting in the south. 



He gives no reason for this, and submits no i)roof of the higher 

 efficiency of the " northern " seed, neither does he recommend nor 

 condemn the use of " southern-grown " .seed in the northern States — 

 which would also be a change of seed. 



W. P. Wright, of the Kent Horticultural Committee, England, 

 in an article contained in the Standard Encyclopapdia of Modern Agri- 

 culture, vol. 1, page 23, says : — " Varieties tend to deteriorate, although 

 the process is greatly retarded by frequent change of seed." This opinion 

 is not supported by any evidence submitted, nor is any recommendation 

 made as to what particular or general change would be beneficial. 

 Prof. Wright, of the West of Scotland Agricultural College, an.ri W. 

 Bruce, B.Sc, F.H.A.S., of the East of Scotland Agricultural College, 

 in a joint article in the same work, vol. 10, page 24, state: — ''The 

 'seed' by which the jjotato is usually i^ropagated is not the true seed, 

 the latter being used solely for the production of new varieties. This 

 has 'been suggested as one reason why all varieties tend to degenerate 

 rapidly if more than ordinary care be not taken in the selection of 

 tubers. To counteract this, special attention is given to such points 

 as the choice of variety, selection of strain, changn of seed, and it? 

 preparation and storage." 



Here, again, no recommendation is made as to what change of seed 

 would be likely to improve production. 



Heine, for years the leading German writer on potato culture, pro- 

 nounced degeneration to be unavoidable and the introduction of new 

 varieties a necessity; Avhile Westermaeier, who succeeded Heine, differed 

 from this. 



Eraser, in his book, The Potato, page 51, says, " It is often advised 

 that potatoes (for seed) be obtained from another soil and from a mo.re 

 northern (i.e., colder) latitude, if vigour and delayed maturity are 

 desired, and from a southern (i.e., warmer— he ■writes of U.S.A. 



