266 



VEGETABLE GARDENING 



rapidly. This may be done as follows: Place the tubers 

 in rich soil in boxes or pots, without cutting them, in a 

 warm, light room, hotbed, or greenhouse. As soon as the 

 sprouts are nicely furnished with roots, break them 

 off at the surface of the potato below the roots and plant 

 separately in pots. New sprouts will start from the eyes 

 again, and the process may be repeated until the tuber 

 is exhausted. By another way the tubers are cut up and 

 planted in good, rich loam. As soon as the shoots are 



Fig. 115. Some degenerate types of potatoes. 



six inches or more high, about three inches are cut off the 

 top of each. These pieces are put in moist sand, watered 

 frequently, and allowed all the sunlight they will stand 

 without wilting, and treated the same as it is common 

 to treat cuttings of house plants. In two or three weeks 

 they will be well rooted and may be potted in rich soil. These 

 shoots may again be cut when nicely started, and so on. 

 The plants thus grown are planted out when the weather 

 is settled in the spring. For best success with these 

 methods of propagation, the work should begin in the 

 late winter or very early spring. 



