64 THE POTATO. 



weakly shoots; all its energies are reserved for the fulfil- 

 ment of its proper mission, supplying food to the shoot 

 which is to form the future plant, and in due course yield 

 a crop of tubers. 



The plan is often practised of spreading the tubers in 

 a layer on the floor of a loft or room. Even if light be 



MODE OF BOXING " SEED" TUBERS. 



admitted, the close contiguity of the tubers promotes pre- 

 mature sprouting, and each tuber is often producing 

 several shoots like the example figured on p. 66. Boxes 

 like the one figured are so easily made that it is unwise 

 to store the tubers in the rough and ready way mentioned. 



SPROUTING TUBERS IN AN ORDINARY SHALLOW Box. 



There is another great advantage in the use of boxes, and 

 that is, as the tubers are placed in them at the time of 

 lifting, they require no further handling till they are 

 planted in the rows. Then, there is a still further advan- 

 tage in sprouting the tubers in boxes. You get the one 



