1380 Tur Vecerastr Inpustry in New York State 
treat as much seed as it will cover, and may be used again and 
again. A convenient way is to place the tubers in a sack and 
suspend it in a barrel or tub of water. After the requisite time 
of soaking it can be raised up, and the solution will drain back 
on the vessel, and the potatoes be dry to handle. Both of the above 
disinfectants are poison and should be handled with care. Where 
a large quantity of seed is to be treated, the above method takes a 
great deal of time. 
Much advice has been given as to how small a piece of potato 
to plant. No one can lay down any ironclad rule, but the under- 
lying principle must be taken into account. From the stand- 
point of economy, one cannot ordinarily afford to plant whole 
potatoes, and one too small to cut is too small to plant. The 
number of eyes in the seed piece depends on the type of potato, 
and the condition of the soil in which it is planted. Two strong 
eyes are enough, if they grow. The flesh about the eye sustains 
it until it can root and be sustained in the ground. <A potato 
of the Early Rose type, with many eyes, will have less flesh 
about four or five eyes than one of the Rural type, with a few 
eyes, will have about one or two. Hence, the latter can be 
safely cut to a less number of eyes than the former. If the 
soil is moist and fertile, the roots will obtain a feeding place 
much sooner than if it is dry, hard and sterile. This, too, musi 
determine the size and number of eyes. 
DEPTH OF PLANTING 
The potato requires coolness and moisture. If the planting is 
shallow it means, sooner or later, heat and dryness. Hence, 
rather deep planting, 4 or 5 inches, is to be recommended, be- 
cause it is according to the law of the plant. No one ever saw 
the tubers form much below the seed piece. Planted shallow, 
they must of necessity form near the surface. To prevent dry- 
ing and burning, they must then be ridged up with earth taken 
from between the rows, cutting off many feeding roots, and 
leaving a cone-shaped hill which sheds water, and a depression 
which carries the rainfall to the lowest part of the field, where 
it is least needed. When planted deep, the tubers have a chance 
to form in the more moist soil, little ridging is necessary, and 
