168 WORCESTER SOCIETY. 



soil is black loam, with clay subsoil. The seed planted was 

 " long recV Mr. Thorndike experimented as follows : — First, 

 with the point of a pocket knife, he cut the eyes from the bulb 

 with as little of the potato as possible, without injuring the 

 eye ; eight eyes were put in a hill. From this manner of 

 planting, those that were dug in presence of the committee 

 produced a very fair yield, and the potatoes were of decent 

 size for table use. Next, Mr. T. cut his potatoes and planted 

 so that twelve eyes were put in a hill. The yield here was 

 better than where the eyes only were planted ; they were larger 

 and decidedly better. 



Next Mr. T. cut his potatoes in halves, and planted half a 

 potato in a hill. The produce in this case was not unlike that 

 of the twelve eyes. Next Mr. T. planted a whole potato of 

 large size in a hill, which produced decidedly the best crop. 

 The potatoes were larger and of more uniform size, and it 

 was the unanimous opinion of the committee, that the saving 

 of the seed in the former cases was an injury to the crop, and 

 of course a draft on the profits of the crop. These experiments 

 were tried in a field of three acres, from which Mr. T. selected 

 his two acres which were entered for premium. The seed for 

 the two acres was cut into pieces containing two eyes each, 

 and three pieces put in a hill. The yield here, so far as the 

 committee were able to discover, was not unlike that of the 

 half potato or the twelve eyes. 



Both this field and that of Mr. Kilburn were manured in the 

 hill, with good compost manure. Each of the gentlemen in- 

 tended that all parts of their field should be treated alike. Their 

 experiments were not very unlike, though Mr. Thorndike's were 

 more extensive. The result, however, we find to be the re- 

 verse. Where Mr. K. seeded the heaviest, the product was 

 the lightest; and where Mr. T. seeded the heaviest, the pro- 

 duct was the best. Was this difference prodilced by locality, b.y 

 the difference in the seed, or by the kind of potato ? are queries 

 which will naturally present themselves to the mind. 



Mr. Thorndike is doing much on his farm by way of im- 

 provement, and the public may yet receive much benefit from 

 the result of his labors. The committee very much regret that 

 they have not received a written statement from him and Mr. 

 Kilburn in relation to their crops. 



