180 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Mr. Adrian Bergen. — One season I broke the ears in two, and 

 planted the butt ends only, but I found no difference in the crop. 

 I usually select the best ears for seed, and I do not find as good 

 ears where there are two or more ears upon the same stalk. I 

 should prefer one large ear upon the stalk to two or three small 

 ones, and I select my seed accordingly. 



Mr. E. Henry. — Mr. Carpenter's rule for planting corn should 

 be modified according to the quality of the land. . If it is very 

 rich we may plant four grains to the hill, but if it is poor we 

 should plant only one. 



Mr. Carpenter. — I would rather reverse that and plant the one 

 grain in the rich land, for it will tiller enough to produce several 

 stalks. 



Mr. Adrian Bergen. — You would better plant none at all on 

 poor ground, for on poor ground you cannot raise corn. 



The Chairman. — I have found this season that it would pay to 

 raise the plants of Wyandot corn in beds, and set them out after- 

 wards. 



Mr. Carpenter. — The Wyandot corn is remarkable for tillering; 

 it seems to ftller from the root instead of throwing up suckers. 

 As to the potato, the largest buds will be found in the largest 

 potatoes, and they will throw up larger and stronger stalks than 

 smaller potatoes. 



Mr. Fuller. — Is the large potato, of any given variety, of a bet- 

 ter quality than the smaller ones ? 



Mr. Carpenter. — That is not a question for us to settle. We 

 grow for the market and want a potato that will sell. I think 

 the Red-blow and Buck-eye may be grown too large, so as to be 

 injured by their size. But the Mercer I have never seen too 

 large. 



Mr. John G. Bergen. — I prefer to plant large potatoes for 

 another reason. I have observed that the crop is earlier. They 

 come up earlier and keep ahead the whole season. I have found 

 the seed end of potatoes to be earlier, but not to produce so well. 

 I have experimented also in the depth for planting potatoes. I 

 planted at all depths, from two inches to twelve under the soil. 

 My results w^ere not quite consistent, but I came to the conclu- 

 sion that three or four inches under the soil was the best depth. 

 My intention was to give them a flat culture, but it w^as not abso- 

 lutely flat, because that w^ould be too much expense. 



Mr. Robinson. — I have learned from Mr. Bergen not only that 



