BREEDING AND SEI^ECTION 



173 



and the bloom withers. The fruit, or seed-ball, may 

 contain from 100 to 300 seeds. These are washed from 

 the ripe seed-balls, dried, and at the proper season 

 sown under glass, or in a hot-bed, or out-of-doors in 



ir 





FIG. 50 — POTATO FLOWER, WITH CALYX AND COROLLA REMOVED 

 On the left are shown the anthers closed round the pistil. On the right the 

 anthers are expanded, pistil not shown. The inner surfaces of the anthers 

 show the line where rupture occurs when the pollen is liberated. Gener- 

 ally this occurs only near the upper portion of the anther. 



flats. The seeds germinate rapidly. I^ater they are 

 transplanted to a well-prepared piece of land outside. 

 The distance apart varies with different growers — from 

 12x12 to 26x26 inches, and sometimes more. The up- 

 right stem bears leaves and the axils of the first leaves 

 bear shoots, which turn downward into the ground 

 and bear tubers. The old idea that the first year's 



