172 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Society of Monmouth county, N. J., who raises excellent potatoes, 

 and has no rot among them, considers it important to change his 

 seed every year. 



Prof. Nash. — I admit that some potatoes deteriorate less than 

 others, but that any have become better by keeping I cannot 

 admit. I object entirely to the practice of farmers, of spreading 

 their potatoes on the ground to dry in the sun. Let a potato be 

 kept in a moist place, at a temperature just about 32 deg., and 

 it would keep unchanged for thousands of years, but the moment 

 it is exposed to a higher temperature the process of converting 

 starch into sugar commences and the potato deteriorates. 



Prof. Mapes. — A few years ago, Mr. Roberts presented here 

 potatoes from Michigan, weighing eight pounds more per bushel 

 than any potatoes we had ever seen. He left in the ground all 

 winter the portion he intended for seed, taking them up in the 

 spring and replanting them. The potatoes grew heavier and 

 better in quality every year. Bermuda farmers say that they 

 never replant their own potatoes, but always buy their seed m 

 New York. They generally buy the Western Reds. 



Dr. Trimble. — I have cultivated the Bermuda potato here, and 

 it retains its distinct individuality from year to year. 



Prof. Mapes. — Many have tried it and it has changed. Some 

 years ago Mr. Pell stated that he had raised a larger crop of 

 potatoes by gouging out the eyes than he could raise from the 

 whole potatoes. His results, however, were different from those 

 of others. Another suggestion has been to turn the stalks out- 

 ward when twelve inches long and cover them ; then to turn 

 them inward when they have grown twelve inches more, and 

 cover them again, repeating the process until the potato blos- 

 somed. The number of potatoes produced was very large. But 

 in this case as well as in that of planting the eyes only, the 

 potatoes averaged small. I have found also that cut potatoes 

 yield less than whole potatoes, and small jDotatces less than large 

 potatoes. Mr. John Bucklin of the Phalanx farm, has repeated 

 these experiments with the same results. It has also been deter- 

 mined by experiment that the potato yields the most when 

 planted at the depth of six inches ; that it yields the greatest 

 weight in pounds and the greatest quantity in bushels by flat 

 instead of hill culture. I have no doubt of the advantage of 

 changing the seed. 



Mr. Burgess was in favor of changing the seed of potatoes. 



