THE POTATO 131 



before either form of blight begins to appear, for this is the 

 easiest time to prevent it. 



1. Select tubers of the same size from different vari- 

 eties, such as Early Rose and Rural New Yorkers. At 

 your homes try boiling them together. Do they cook in 

 the same time? Try baking, frying, etc. 



2. How deep does your father plow the ground for po- 

 tatoes? How deep does he plant? Does he use commer- 

 cial fertilizers? Does he manure the field for potatoes? If 

 so, is the crop scabby? 



3. What plan is used in selecting seed for your potato 

 crop? Are culls ever used for seed? Is there any more 

 reason in using small potatoes for seed than in taking your 

 seed corn from nubbins? 



4. Suppose that seed potatoes are seventy-five cents a 

 bushel, and that when quartered twelve bushels are re- 

 quired to plant an acre; also suppose that by planting 

 halves instead of quarters the yield is increased twenty 

 bushels per acre, and that the new crop sells at sixty cents 

 a bushel. Which way of cutting seed is best, and by how 

 much an acre? 



5. Bring samples of potatoes affected by scab; by rot. 

 Study the effects of each on the tuber. Secure if possible 

 samples of plants affected by blight, and learn to identify 

 the disease. What is the most troublesome potato disease 

 in your region? What is the remedy? 



6. After talking with your father about it, itemize 

 the cost of raising an acre of potatoes. Compare this with 

 the cost of producing an acre of corn ; an acre of wheat or 

 oats. Now, taking the average yield of each crop, com- 

 pare the profit of potato raising with that of other crops. 

 Would it not be possible to double the yield of potatoes per 

 acre in your region ? How would you go at it ? 



6. Potato Demonstrations 



1. Demonstrate how to select seed potatoes from the 

 hill. 



2. How to prepare seed potatoes by cutting for seed. 



