64 The Potato 



to be cut when served, as a single tuber is about the right size to an 

 individual. Again this sized tuber is well fitted for cooking and it is 

 small enough so that the interior will cook nearly as quickly as the 

 exterior. Probably the most desirable shape is when the tuber has 

 a major axis or length of three and one-half inches to four inches, with 

 a width of possibly three to three and one-fourth inches, and a thick- 

 ness of two to two and one-fourth inches. In a tuber of this shape 

 the center of the potato at any point is only about one inch from the 

 exterior. 



(2) When the ideal character and size have been determined, 

 examine a large number of tubers and pick out a thousand or more 

 having this size, shape and general character. This is work that 

 can be done in the late fall and winter when there is no rush of other 

 farm work, and time should be taken to secure a considerable number 

 of these tubers of the same character. These are to be used for 

 planting the selection plot, and the number selected should correspond 

 to the size of the plot which it is desired to plant, four hills being 

 planted with each tuber. There should certainly not be less than one 

 thousand, and a much larger number is more desirable. The pro- 

 spective breeder should remember that success in breeding work de- 

 pends upon selecting the one individual that gives the very highest 

 yield possible under the conditions, and the larger the number of 

 individuals examined the more likely is he to discover the one produc- 

 ing the maximum yield which will give a valuable new strain. There 

 is no loss in growing this selection plot aside from the greater amount 

 of time required for the digging, so that one should grow a consider- 

 able number of plants. 



(3) The planting should be arranged in such a way as to secure 

 a test of the productivity of each tuber. To do this the following 

 method may be recommended. Cut each tuber into four uniform 

 sized pieces, making each cut longitudinally so that each piece 

 will contain an equal proportion of the basal end and the apical end 

 of the tuber. Plant four hills with each tuber, one piece in the hill. 

 These should be planted consecutively in each row beginning at one 

 end, so that starting at that end the first foiu- hills will be from one 

 tuber, the second foiu- from another and so on throughout the 

 length of the row. The object in planting this way is that four hills 

 can be dug together and the total product weighed to obtain a meas- 

 ure of the productivity of the seed tuber planted. Probably the 

 best way to plant these is to drop the selected tubers one to each 



