646 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Nov., 1917. 



first month. The second month's growth gave 34 per cent.: the third 

 month produced tubers equal to JfS per cent., whilst the growth during 

 the fourth month gave tubers equal to 77 per cent, of the total tuber 

 weight. 



Computing, as in the case of root-; and haulm, on the total growth 

 during the given periods, we find 5.8 ycr cent, of the total production 

 during the first month to consist of tubers. The second month produces 

 tubers equal to 55 per cent, of the total growth. The third month shows 

 an increased weight of tubers equal to 77 per cent, of tbe total weight of 

 plant, whilst during the fourth month — the final stage — the onlij growth 

 taking place is that of the tubers. 



How the Potato Plant Grows. 



Table IV. 

 Percentage Production. 



; Figares are apitioximate.l 



In the early stages of its life the potato plant practically devotes its 

 whole attention to root and haulm development. In the middle stage it 

 concentrates on the development of haulm and formation of tubers, 

 whilst the final stage shows the dying plant concentrating all its atten- 

 tion on the tuber development — the reproduction of its kind. 



Analysis of Seed Set at Time of Harvesting. 



At the time of planting an average seed set was reserved for analysis, 

 so far as the essential plant foods were concerned. At each harvest 

 the old seed sets were collected and sub.sequently analyzed'. 



As it was impossible to collect the whole of the seed sets in the final 

 harvests, owing to the advanced stage of decomposition, an error is intro- 

 duced, but the analyses, as set out in the table below, may prove useful 

 for comparative purposes. 



Table V. 

 Analysis of Seed Sets at Various Harvests. 



N.K.^ not estimated. 



