208 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



SEED. 



The common practice before definite work had been 

 done in this line, was to plant the refuse or smaller 

 tuber. This practice was probably the result of neces- 

 sity arising from having used up all the choice pro- 

 duct for food. Later, the practice was carried to the 

 other extreme, and the largest tubers only were used ; 

 this is more commendable than the other practice, but 

 it is not the rational stand. The greatest attention 

 should be directed to the nature of the whole plant ; it 

 is more desirable to raise six or eight medium-sized 

 tubers to the plant than to have one or two very large 

 ones and the rest small and unmarketable. Another 

 point to be borne in mind is, that the tubers shall ripen 

 at one time, even at the expense of average size and 

 total productiveness. 



A great many tests have been made to ascertain 

 whether the "seed" end or the "stem" end is more 

 productive ; up to the present, there has been no law 

 discovered that will hold good for all places and for 

 all planters. It is quite well established, however, 

 that a large piece of the tuber will make stronger 

 plants than a small one. Some experiments go to 

 show that the yield is directly proportional to the size 

 of the tuber used. This is probably a strong state- 

 ment of the case, but there is certainly much nourish- 

 ment in a large piece, and it will be able to carry the 

 plant over several freezes, when that from a small 

 piece would succumb. Some of the largest yields from 

 a single tuber of a given weight have been obtained by 

 growing sets, as in the case of sweet potatoes. 



It is usually best to cut the tubers before planting. 

 There are machines that cut, drop the pieces, and fer- 

 tilize the ground all at once ; such machines are used 

 with a profit in the potato regions of the Northwest. 



