398 Transactions of the American Institute. 



The e3'es of the potato are exactly what the buds are in other 

 branches, formed for the Siime object and subject to the same laws. 

 Beginning at the stem, or lower end, and following the arrangement 

 of the eyes, we trace spiral lines, in the same manner as with buds 

 on the branches of a tree, and find that the eyes and buds increase 

 in numbers towards the end. We observe, therefore, that the 

 potato is not only a branch in theory, but in its practical bearings 

 also, it is governed by like laws. 



The planting of a whole potato is simply a propagation by layer- 

 ing. It is nature's mode of multiplying the individual plant, just as 

 she multiplies an individual grape vine, by bending its branches to 

 the ground to take root at the joints. The planting of a half or a 

 larger part of a potato, corresponds with the propagation by long 

 cuttings, as is the case with currants, quinces, &c. Separating the 

 stem end of a potato from the bud end, is similar to dividing a long 

 cutting in two; you may plant either end and it will grow. The 

 planting of pieces with one or two eyes is analogous to the same 

 process with other branches. 



We can make a grapevine grow from pieces with single eyes, or 

 more, without being able to foretell which will make the best plant. 

 Nature has so well cared for the propagation of this useful plant, 

 that even pieces without eyes will sometimes grow, just a.s a grape 

 cutting without eyes will frequently take root. In my experiments, 

 out of seventy pieces planted without eyes, thirteen grew and pro- 

 duced potatoes — about one out of every five. This fact proves that 

 the starting point of germination is not necessarily confined to the 

 existing eyes; adventitious buds may, under favorable circumstances, 

 form in any part of the surface of the potato. Sometimes even all 

 the germinative power will become concentrated in an adventitious 

 bud, while every visible eye remains dormant. To prove still more 

 this fact, I planted seventy potatoes peeled so thickly that no eyes 

 were visible; thirty-five, exactly one-half, grew, and some of them 

 produced very large potatoes. 



The practical value of these results is of more importance than 

 may appear to the superficial observer. My object in making these 

 experiments was to prove just the opposite of what I found to be 

 the facts, and facts admit of no controversy. We have so long 

 been taught to take all possible care not to mutilate any eye of the 

 potato, when preparing them for planting, and have spent so much 

 time in surveying our field before deciding where to inflict the 

 bold stroke, that I was slow to convince myself of the fact that 



