THE POTATO 231 



has developed a very considerable industry in 

 some of the potato-producing regions, notably 

 Maine, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Early varieties 

 which are especially adapted to truck work at 

 the South are in these Northern regions planted 

 extensively for the purpose of producing seed to 

 be used in the South. The crop is harvested and 

 placed in storage houses either at the North or at 

 the South, where it can be made available to the 

 growers at the South early in the spring to meet 

 the demand for seed for early planting. 



"Within recent years there has been a marked 

 increase in the use of second-crop potatoes for 

 seed throughout the Southern potato-growing 

 sections. This crop is frequently grown on the 

 same land from which the first crop of potatoes 

 was harvested. In most instances, however, it 

 follows beans or cucumbers, as the seed for this 

 second potato crop is not usually planted until 

 July or August. The seed for this crop is, as a 

 rule, saved from the early crop, the small tubers 

 being stored in a well- ventilated shed, where they 

 are protected from the direct action of the sun 

 and from storms until about ten days or two 

 weeks before the time of planting, when the^^^ are 

 spread thinly upon the ground and lightly covered 

 with straw or litter to partially protect them from 

 the sun. Under these conditions the tubers 

 quickly 'green' and all those suitable for seed 

 will develop sprouts. As soon as the sprouts are 

 visible, and before they are large enough to be 

 ' rubbed off in handling, the potatoes are ready to 

 plant. The product of this planting gives a crop 

 of partially matured tubers which are held over 

 winter for spring planting. This practice gives 

 excellent results in many localities and is found to' 



