CHAPTER XXVII 



POTATO SUPERSTITIONS AND PREJUDICES 



THERE are a great many superstitions and 

 prejudices in regard to the potato. Some 

 are as old as time but, generally there is no 

 good reason for their existence. 



Planting "in the dark of the moon" is a popular 

 fallacy. Some argue, and often can relate, experi- 

 ences that to them seem to prove that potatoes 

 will not make a satisfactory crop unless planted 

 during that part of the month when the moon does 

 not shine. If planted when the moon shines at 

 night, the belief is that the plant goes "all to top" 

 and will not make tubers. Others will argue that 

 the planting should be done "in the light of the 

 moon" in order to give the plants a good start, 

 because of the additional light. There are experi- 

 ences to prove that both are right. There is of 

 course no foundation for such notions, and pota- 

 toes make good crops if soil and moisture condi- 

 tions are right, regardless of the moon. 



"Cutting off the seed end," or terminal bud, is a 

 practice supposed to result in benefit to the crop. 

 The young potato plant is started and nourished 

 by the plant food stored up in the tuber. To 

 throw away any part of the potato is to destroy 

 food that could be used to advantage. The reason 

 given for doing it is to keep too many eyes from 

 starting, but experience shows that if the seed is 

 strong and has been well stored and handled, the 



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