ECONOMY IN SEED POTATOES. 221 



Economy in Seed Potatoes. 



A. D. WILSON AND R. S. MACKINTOSH, AGR. EXT. DIVISION, UNIVERSITY FARM. 



Potato seed is scarce and high in price and many persons 

 are asking if it is not possible to use less seed per acre this year. 

 Repeated experiments show that in normal times it is best to use 

 seed pieces weighing from one to two ounces, which means using 

 from ten to twenty bushels of seed per acre. Experiments also 

 show that good crops may be secured by planting pieces as small 

 as one-half ounce in size, or even by planting the eyes dug out of 

 tubers to be eaten. 



For Field Planting. — By using medium sized or small pota- 

 toes and by cutting into small pieces by hand (pieces about one- 

 half ounce in size), six bushels may be made to plant an acre. 

 It will be necessary to plant such small pieces with a hand regu- 

 lated planter, or by hand. Special care should be exercised to 

 prepare the soil especially well and not to plant until conditions 

 are favorable, because these small pieces cannot withstand ad- 

 verse conditions as well as full sized pieces. 



Scab and Other Diseases. — Scab is prevented by soaking seed 

 for one and one-half hours in a solution made by mixing one pint 

 (one pound) of forty per cent formaldehyde with thirty gallons 

 of water, or by dissolving four ounces of corrosive sublimate in 

 thirty gallons of water in a wooden vessel. The corrosive sub- 

 limate is more effective but is very poisonous when taken inter- 

 nally, although it does not harm the hands or clothing. It must 

 be used with care. It is a crime to allow disease and insects to 

 reduce the yield of potatoes.* Hence, spray for bugs and blight 

 this summer. 



For the Garden. — Eyes and seed ends of potatoes used for 

 the table may be saved and planted by hand in the garden. The 

 most satisfactory way is to plant these eyes or small seed pieces 

 in soil in a shallow box kept in a warm, light place in the house, 

 and the plants set in the garden as soon as soil and weather war- 

 rant, or from May 20 to June 20. It is not advisable to plant 

 these small pieces outside until the soil and weather are warm. 



Begin now to cut off the "seed" end of the tubers used each 

 day for table use and put into a box of soil. The box should be 

 three to four inches deep, fourteen to sixteen inches wide, and 

 twenty to twenty-four inches long. Fill with fine garden loam 

 and keep in the house in as light and warm a place as can be 

 found. Be careful to select the best potatoes for this purpose. 



The land should be given more attention this year. It 

 should be plowed six to eight inches deep and thoroughly har- 

 rowed, especially just before planting. This makes the soil fine 

 and in best condition for the seed-pieces or plants. When ready 

 to plant, open a furrow about three inches deep and put the 

 pieces from twelve to fifteen inches apart and cover with two 

 inches of soil. From this time on keep the surface of the soil 

 loose by constant cultivation. 



