TUBERS OR "SETS" FOR PLANTING. 69 



Irish Experiments in Boxing: and Sprouting:. 



The Irish Department of Agriculture, a body which looks 

 keenly after the interests of agriculturists in the Emerald 

 Isle, conducted a series of valuable experiments last year 

 with a vievv of ascertaining what advantages, if any, were 



CROP RESULTING FEOM PLANTING PROPERLY SPROUTED TUBER. 



to be gained in the yield of potatoes by boxing and sprout- 

 ing the " sets " before planting. The experiments were 

 carried out with late or maincrop varieties, and the aver- 

 age yields per acre at the thirty-four experimental stations 

 were as follows: 



From " boxed " seed 



Saleable ware 9 tons 15 cwt. 



Small 1 ton 11 cwt. 



From unsprouted seed 



Saleable ware 7 tons 3 cwt. 



Small 1 ton 10 cwt. 



Average increase per acre due to sprouting, 2 tons 



13 cv/t. 

 These figures show that the yield from the boxed tubers 



