390 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



ground, always in careful condition, might form the exception that 

 led to the result, he attributed solely to a particular mode of cul- 

 ture, in raising potatoes. That soil might be more self-sustaining 

 in alkaline properties, and so the plants might not be so liable to 

 the development of acetic acid. 



The Chairman admitted that possibly there might be something 

 in the suggestion. 



Dr. Waterbnry could easily understand, that high cultivation 

 would give an unnatural amount of pabulum — a quantity plants 

 could not obtain upon poorer soils. 



Dr. Underhill strongly confirmed the views of Prof. Mapes, in 

 the remarks he had made. After much patient attention j^rac- 

 tically to this subject, he found himself convinced it was best to 

 plant a medium sized potato, and to plant it whole. Such a prac- 

 tice would insure a larger crop, and bigger as well as heavier po- 

 tatoes. Unfortunately, the practice has been too general to sell 

 the big potatoes at market, and save the less tempting potatoes 

 for seed. 



Dr. J. A. Smith said that the disease among potatoes was as 

 common in Britain as in America. Might it not be traced to the 

 equal prevalence in England as here of the very practice Dr. Un- 

 derhill had just denounced. A potato was as much a living thing 

 as a man or a lion ; the law of reproduction and life applied 

 equally to both. If none but the most puny, diminutive and 

 sickly of the human race were allowed to marry, would that be a 

 reasonable or likely way to raise a tall or vigorous race of human 

 beings 1 



Hon. John G. Bergen, of Gowanus, advised that to avoid rot, if 

 that were the sole object, potatoes should be planted without 

 cutting them. His experience had been in favor of the cut potato. 

 The uncut, doubtless, expended the greatest quantity of seeds. 

 As to selling the finer and planting the smaller, most farmers in 

 his neighborhood would reject the little ones as seed. Some years 

 ago he had tried the uncut plan. He had a greater crop and they 

 came up sooner. They kept ahead of others through the entire 

 season. But it took at least ten times as much seed in the plant- 

 ing. 



