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equally as important as with com. The Ohio sta- 

 tion succeeded in doubling the yield of potatoes in 

 three years' time by selecting seed from those hills of 

 greatest production. The tubers should be cut in 

 pieces containing sufficient starch or plant food to 

 give a strong, vigorous growth in the new plant. 

 Experience seems to indicate that two eyes to the 

 piece from average-sized tubers meet these require- 

 ments in the best manner. The frequent practice 

 of saving the smallest potatoes for seed purposes 

 deserves especial condemnation. While the small 

 potatoes may be used occasionally without 

 serious deterioration, their continued use from 

 year to year will inevitably result in loss of 

 size and yield. 



The question of the amount of seed used per acre 

 depends very largely upon the manner in which it is 

 planted and the distances between the rows and 

 hills. When the potatoes are of average size, cut 

 two eyes to the piece, planted at the usual distance 

 of 30 inches between the rows and 10 to 15 inches 

 between the pieces, it will require from 10 to 12 

 bushels per acre. With the earlier crops, especially 

 under conditions where rot is to be feared, whole 

 potatoes are safer to plant, and in some cases experi- 

 ments have indicated better yields where whole 

 potatoes have been used for seed. 



The universal presence of scab makes it necessary 

 to treat the seed before planting in all potato sec- 

 tions of this country, and the treatment has be- 

 come a regular practice among all growers who pre- 

 tend to be up to date, both North and South. The 

 more common method of treatment, especially for 

 small quantities of seed, is to soak the uncut seed 

 for a period of two hours in a solution of formalin, 



