THE POTATO 103 



with concrete or stone walls, the excavation being made on 

 a side hill. It is covered with a shingle roof, and has a 

 board floor on a level with the ground at the upper side, 

 thus making an excellent tool and machinery house over 

 the space used for vegetables. 



4. Improvement Through Selection of Seed 



One of the first factors in successful potato growing is 

 the securing of good seed. Without this, fertility of soil 

 and careful cultivation are largely wasted. 



Good seed will possess the following qualities : It must 

 (1) be pure, that is, free from mixtures of varieties; (2) 

 be taken from productive plants, or "hill selected" ; (3) be 

 uniform in size and shape; (4) be firm and sound, not 

 shrunken or decayed; (5) be entirely free from disease; 

 (6) not wholly mature when harvested; (7) have sprouts 

 just showing at time of planting. 



It has been estimated by experts that attention to these 

 points would add at least ten per cent: to the potato crop 

 each year. This would mean an increase of nearly thirty- 

 five million bushels, worth about $21,000,000 annually. 



Pure seed. Mixed varieties present several disad- 

 vantages in potato growing. The crop will not mature 

 evenly. Thus, when the earlier variety has ripened and 

 is ready for the market or table, the later one will have 

 the potatoes just setting, and unfit for use. Mixed vari- 

 eties do not cook evenly, and when baked or broiled to- 

 gether some will be overdone before others have softened. 

 General mixture of varieties in potatoes as in other crops 

 tends to degeneration and running out of the breed. 



Seed from, productive plants. Seed should be taken 

 only from the strongest and most productive plants, no 

 matter what the variety. This can not be accomplished by 



