52 THE POTATO. 



variety selected was Northern Star, which it is stated 

 had already been subjected to considerable propagation. 

 The whole and cut sets were planted May 6, and the cut- 

 tings were grown on in a cold frame, and planted out early 

 in June. The rows were three feet apart, and th,e plants 

 eighteen inches apart in the rows. The ground was in 

 good condition, and the addition of manure was not con- 

 sidered necessary. The plants grew rapidly, and from the 

 appearance of the haulm it was not possible to see any 

 difference in the plots. The rhizomes grew strongly, and 

 when the crop was lifted in October the ridges were matted 

 with rhizomes. The following is the yield per acre : No. 1 

 (whole sets) 18 tons 2cwts. Oqrs. lllbs. ; No. 2 (cut sets, 

 single eyes), 16 tons Icwt. 2qrs. 121bs. ; and No. 3 (cut- 

 tings), 17 tons lOcwts. 2qrs. 191bs. It will thus be seen 

 that the total yield from the cuttings was intermediate be- 

 tween the produce from the whole and cut sets. The 

 yield of tubers of ware size from the cuttings was larger, 

 while the yields of " seed " and chats were correspond- 

 ingly smaller." 



According to this, the potato is more fruitful from whole 

 " sets " than from cut " sets " or cuttings, thus bearing 

 out the views expressed by us in our opening remarks. 



By Seed. This is a method which should only be 

 adopted when new varieties are desired, as the result of 

 careful cross-fertilisation. With the latter subject we shall 

 not concern ourselves, as that will be dealt with in Chap- 

 ter XVI. Here we shall simply deal with the sowing o f 

 the seed. The seed here referred to is the actual seed 

 obtained from the berries borne on the haulm, and not the 

 tubers or sets, often called " seed-tubers," used for plant- 

 ing. The seeds should be sown in pans or shallow boxes 

 three inches deep, containing an inch of drainage and then 

 a layer of moss, and sufficient compost equal parts light 

 loam and leaf-mould to fill the box or pan to the top. 

 Press the compost down firmly with a flat piece of board, 

 and sprinkle some fine sand over it. Sow the seeds thinly, 



