LESSONS 0>T POTATOES FOE EURAL, SCHOOLS. 17 



2. A practice more or less common in Europe and one which is 

 used to some extent in the United States is that of greening seed. 

 Essentially it consists in keeping the seed during winter and spring 

 in shallow trays racked up in buildings so constructed that each tuber 

 is in the light. The sprouts at the seed ends start and grow short, 

 green, and stubby. Wlien planted, these potatoes start quickly and 

 grow rapidly. The cost of the equipment and of the labor re- 

 quired to place the seed in the racks and again to place the seed in 

 the ground with the sprouts up would be heavy in the United States. 

 Unless seed which has been sprouted in this way for some time is 

 planted with the sprouts up, there is trouble in loss of stand. How- 

 ever, a modification of the plan may be used for American condi- 

 tions of cost and labor such that green sprouts grown in the light for 

 a short time will not be broken off in a potato planter, and will give 

 no trouble about coming up. Therefore the seed may be kept on the 

 barn floor in the sun for two weeks or less and save the strength of 

 the sprouts which would be lost by growth in the cellar. 



For potato growers who desire to get their potatoes on an early 

 market, a saving from one week to ten days may be made by this 

 process. 



3. Planting the crop — Time of planting depends upon the local 

 soil, climate, and the market for which the crop is grown. Discuss 

 advantages of early and late plantings ; compare methods of ridging 

 and level culture. Upon what does the value of each method depend ? 

 Methods of planting hill and drill — advantages and disadvantages 

 of each; depth of planting and distance apart of plants and rows; 

 planting tools ; where would machinery for planting be economical ? 

 Discuss hand planting; depth of planting. 



. Practical exercises. — As a preliminary to the treatment of seed po- 

 tatoes for diseases, some instruction on how to identify such diseases 

 should be given. The student should be given an opportunity to 

 sort potatoes, picking out those that show signs of disease. Prac- 

 tice should be given in preparing the formalin solution and in actu- 

 ally treating the seed potatoes. One pint of formalin (a 40 per cent 

 solution of formaldehyde) diluted in 30 gallons of water is sufficient 

 to treat 20 bushels of seed. Soak the potatoes about two hours. Ac- 

 tual practice in the cutting of potatoes should be given. If pos- 

 sible, take the class to a farm where potatoes are being planted, and 

 with the consent of the owner, have them take part in the various 

 planting processes from cutting the potatoes, to dropping and cover- 

 ing. Those students who* have a potato project may obtain the 

 practice work on their own plats, or may assist their fathers in plant- 

 ing. In such cases a report of the process should be made to the 

 class. Where the potato scab is found, observations should be taken. 



