4'-26 



Popular Science Monthly 



Viewing them in comparison with a thimble, empha- 

 sizes the diminutiveness of the seedHng potato plants 



tive. The first year's crop of 

 tubers is limited. These pota- 

 toes, about the size of peas or 

 even smaller, are planted the 

 second year. The tubers thus 

 obtained are a little larger. 

 Usually in the third year some 

 will be found that are really 

 worth while, and perhaps a new 

 variety that is worth cultivating. 

 Extensive correspondence on the 

 subject has been carried on by 

 Edward F. Bigelow, of Arcadia, 

 Sound Beach, Connecticut, with 

 potato growers in all parts of the 

 country and has brought forth a 

 great variety of claims, and ex- 

 periences. 



The Wise Potato. It Refuses to 

 Produce Unnecessary Seeds 



POTATO seeds are so extremely rare 

 that it is almost impossible to obtain 

 them. Yet seeds of potatoes are plenti- 

 ful. These facts seem diverse and antag- 

 onistic; they are easily reconciled. About 

 twenty-five years ago potato balls were 

 abundant wherever potatoes were grown, 

 but in our modern intense cultivation the 

 plants seem to have learned in many 

 sections that it is not necessary to bring 

 to fruition the tomato-like balls that 

 should be the result of the bloom. 



Potato seeds can be obtained from cer- 

 tain places, mostly outside of the United 

 States. The potato propagator values 

 these seeds 

 highly, because 

 from them, 

 and prefer- 

 ably from the 

 modern well- 

 cultivated 

 plant rather 

 than from the 

 primitive 

 wild potato, 

 the seed 

 should be 

 obtained 

 for propa- 

 gating new 

 varieties. For 

 the first year 

 the plants The tread of the stairway is 



are diminu- to prevent the man and his 



Saving Man Power in Loading 

 Freight Cars 



THE tread-mill of the farmer boy's 

 youthful days is now being employed 

 in principle to lessen the number of men 

 required to load freight cars. The device 

 consists of nothing more than an endless 

 belt-conveyor or stairway from the ground 

 to a platform level with the freight car 

 door. 



This makes it unnecessary for the men 

 to rush the incline as they must on the 

 ordinary runway, and this in turn prevents 

 them from becoming exhausted before 

 the day's work is over. It also reduces 

 the number of men required to load any 

 given amount of goods, and the laborers 

 so released can be employed for more 

 vital war work. 



The same kind of a tread- 

 mill can be used for loading 

 motor trucks. It is operated 

 by a small elec- 

 tric motor un- 

 derneath the 

 platform. The 

 motor can be 

 shut off to save 

 current when no 

 loading is being 

 (lone. 



As the men 

 must work quick- 

 ly because the 

 incline moves 

 provided with small cleats f'^'^^t' more is ac- 



hand-truck from slipping COmplished. 



