THE POTATO 125 



does this compare with the other farms of your vicinity? 

 With the state ? With the United States ? 



3. Select two medium-sized potatoes, one regular, 

 smooth and with shallow eyes, and the other irregular and 

 with deep-set eyes. Weigh each. Pare both potatoes, as 

 nearly the same as possible. Now weigh the skins, also 

 the pared tubers. Which lost the larger percentage in 

 paring? Which is easier to pare? Which looks more 

 pleasing for the table? Which would be the better to 

 select for seed? Which one is better for the market? 



4. Bring a sample of as many different varieties of 

 tubers as can be found in your neighborhood. Learn to 

 recognize the chief breed characteristics so as to identify 

 the different varieties, such as Early Rose, Bliss Triumph, 

 Early Ohio, Gold Coin, Burbank, Rural New Yorker, 

 Walter Raleigh. What are the principal early varieties? 

 Late varieties ? Do you find mixtures in which it is impos- 

 sible to determine the varieties? 



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, and worth about $21,000,000 annually. 



Pure seed. Mixed varieties present several disad- 

 vantages in potato growing. The crop will not mature 



