152 The Potato 



early potatoes in heavy soil, as the amount of earth covered 

 over the seed is so small that the plants come up much 

 quicker in cold springs than where several inches of dirt 

 are ridged over the seed. 



SEED POTATOES 



The problem of conserving the full vitality of the seed 

 potato until planted is a hard one unless cold storage is 

 available. The white sprouts formed in ordinary storage 

 cellars rapidly reduce the vitality of the seed, are easily 

 broken off and cannot be planted. The potato requires a 

 resting stage for some time after maturity, after which it 

 starts the sprouts rapidly at temperatures as low as 50° F. 

 If the temperature of the storage space can be kept down 

 to from 34° to 36°, the sprouts will not start and the whole 

 strength of the seed will be saved to grow the crop. Every 

 attention should be given in early fall, winter and spring 

 to keep the temperature down. Keeping the doors and 

 windows open on cool nights and closed daytimes in 

 fall and spring and using ice to keep down the heat re- 

 duces the sprouting. Potatoes intended for seed in 

 cellars sprout less in shallow piles on the floor than when 

 piled up too near the ceiling, owing to difference in tem- 

 perature. A special cold-storage plant would be ideal 

 but is too expensive for farmers unless for very large 

 growers. A very good method of storing seed which is 

 falling into disuse is that of storing in pits covered with 

 alternate layers of straw and earth to prevent freezing. 



A European practice which may in time be adopted in 

 America is that of greening seed. The high cost of land 

 in Europe, low cost of labor, large proportion of small 

 tubers in the varieties grown, vigor of small tubers which 



