590 Joinval of AgricuUiire. Victoria. [10 Oct., 1916. 



POTATO CULTIVATION. 



Cutting Seed and Rate of Seeding per Acre. 



Bt/ J. T. Ramsay, Potato Expert. 



The cutting of potatoes to be used for seed is essentially an economic 

 question. In cases where only large tube.rs are available for planting 

 the crop, it becomes necessary to subdivide these, in order that they may 

 provide a greater number of sets, and so keep down the cost of seeding 

 per acre. 



In subdividing or cutting these, however, many groAvers go to ex- 

 tremes, and slice up the tubers into pieces which are too small. Wliere 

 this is done, the crop is handicapped unduly at the outset. 



Factors Governing Size of Sets. 



The question may be asked — What is the best sized set? Before a 

 direct answer can be given to this, several factors of environment have 

 to be considered. The first of these is the vigor of the seed parcel. 

 Seed of weak constitution will not stand as much cutting as seed which 

 has been selected out of a healthy and prolific crop. 



Undoubtedly one of the main reasons for varieties of potatoes so 

 quickly degenerating to a level at which their cultivation ceases to be 

 profitable, is the fact that practically no selection of seed is made, and 

 the seed used is too severely mutilated by the cutting knife. 



The second factor is the moisture content of the soil in which 

 the seed has to be planted. Extremes of moisture and dryness are 

 certain causes of " misses " when small cut sets are used. Therefore, 

 unless the soil is in a nice condition of moisture, either whole or fair 

 sized cut sets should be planted. 



A third consideration is the fertility standard of the soil. If the 

 fertility and physical condition be good, there is a lessened risk from 

 the use of small cut sets. 



Seed Cutting for Average Conditions. 



The following comments and recommendations are based on the 

 assumption that normally good potato land in a good state of tilth is 

 to be planted, and that a parcel of potatoes made up of seed and ware 

 sizes is available for the planting. When commencing to cut the seed 

 it should be borne in mind that, within reasonable limits, the weight 

 of the crop is proportionate to the weight of the seed used. 



The fundamental reason for this is that the shoot or shoots pro- 

 duced from the seed set are in the first stages of growth entirely depen- 

 dent on the nourishment they derive from the seed set. That being so, 

 it is obvious that the larger sets can give a better start to the crop than 

 can the small sets, simply because they contain a greater amount of the 

 essential nourishment for the first growths. 



Intense Propagation. 

 Under exceptionally favorable soil conditions, good crops have been 

 grown from sprouts which have been removed from the tubers, but this 



