772 



ADDENDUM 



the seed tubers in boxes during the winter. Leaving out the 

 relative effects of winter or spring boxing on the subsequent crop, 

 there are other valid reasons for giving preference to autumn or 

 winter boxing. In the first place, there is, as a rule, more spare 

 time for carrying out the work in the fall than in the spring, when 

 there are so many other things requiring attention. In the second 

 place, there is no way in which the seed tubers may be kept so 

 safely or stored in smaller compass than in the boxes utilised for 

 the sprouting of the tubers. The third and most important 

 recommendation is that the tubers can be overhauled and examined 

 as time permits, should that be found necessary, while the sprouting 

 can be regulated to a nicety by placing the boxes in a high or a 

 low temperature, and exposing the tubers to light and air or 

 shielding them from the latter as circumstances may require. The 

 size of box recommended for general use is, length 24 in., width 

 12 in., and depth 3 in. The corner-pieces should be 7 in. in height 

 and sufficiently strong for the boxes to rest one on top of the 

 other when piled for winter storage. The handle-bar should be 

 strong and tenoned into the end-pieces, the whole forming a light, 

 handy, and durable receptacle which, if carefully used, will last for 

 years. Such boxes are not very expensive, each box holding about 

 20 lb. of Potatoes, varying with the size of the tubers. The filling 

 of the boxes involves no particular care or trouble, and when 

 completed they may be arranged one on top of the other to any 

 height that may be found convenient. 



Apart from the effect of light and air upon the length of the 

 sprout, exposure for some time before planting is all-important, in 

 order that the sprout may become tough, and thus not so liable to 

 be broken when handled. A few days' exposure will be sufficient 

 to make the sprouts quite tough, and so less liable to injury when 

 planting is being done. When storing the boxed tubers care 

 should be taken that they are not placed where frost is likely to 

 reach them. On the other hand they should not be given too high 

 a temperature or sprouting will be too rapid, and they will become 

 spindly and drawn. As a rule they will do very well in barns or 

 sheds, provided they are protected from cold winds and covered 

 with straw or sacks when frost is severe and protracted. 



At the time of planting the sprouts should be about 2 in. long, 

 and the management of the boxes should be so carried out that 

 this length of sprout should be developed as uniformly as possible 

 all over the box. There is no valid objection to longer sprouts, 

 except that there is a danger of some of them being broken off 

 unless they are very carefully handled. Generally, the sprouts are 

 apt to fall short of rather than exceed the desired length, in which 

 case, in order to check growth and prevent their becoming drawn, 

 the best way is to expose them to the light. If, on the other hand, 



