LESSON XXXI 



POTATOES 



Seed potatoes. - - The potato is the most important 

 of the so-called vegetables. Potatoes are classed as 

 a root crop although they are really underground stems. 

 In the underground stem, called tubers, the plants 

 store up starch in a form that is good to eat. The true 

 seeds of the potato plant are borne in seed-balls at the 

 top of the stems. These seeds are used only in breeding 

 work to produce new varieties 

 of potatoes. The eyes on po- 

 tatoes are buds which grow, 

 when planted, and produce 

 new potatoes like the kind 

 planted. Seed potatoes should 

 be selected from the most 

 prolific hills ; they should be 

 true to type and free from 

 any appearance of disease. 

 The seed potatoes may be 

 planted \vhole, or they may 

 be cut into pieces before planting, each piece having 

 one or two eyes. 



Planting. Potatoes are raised in crop rotations of 

 alfalfa or clover and small grains as the other two crops. 

 They do better in a cool climate ; and contrary to 



POTATO PLANT WITH TI-BKRS 



141 



