98 



A NEEDED EXPERIMENT. 



soft plants, the product of a few weeks forcing. 

 Aside from these there are quite a number re- 

 cently introduced so good that no one need be at a 

 loss to make up a collection the like of which could 

 not have been brought together only a few years 

 ago. Probably the chrysanthemum has nearly 

 reached its limit in size, for there is in the vege- 



table economy such an adjustment of parts as to re- 

 sult in a well balanced whole. We dare not hope 

 to see a blue chrysanthemum, but it is not unreas- 

 onable to expect other combinations of colors com- 

 mon to the genus of greater novelty and beauty 

 than has yet been seen. 



New Haven, Ct. A. Veitch. 



A NEEDED EXPERIMENT. 



A NOVE 



UR experiment stations are now 

 under way and we expect them 

 to aid the farmer. There are 

 many things which they might 

 experiment upon, so many, in 

 truth, that the common and 

 practical subjects are likely to 

 be overlooked. I often think 



that the experimenters study 

 the things which they like best, and not always the 

 things which are the most valuable. I presume, 

 too, that they have more suggestions than they care 

 for or can use ; yet I am going to make another. 

 The subject to which I would invite the attention of 

 the stations is exceedingly important, and it seems 

 singular that it has not already occupied the atten- 

 tion of scientists. 



It represents a crop of commanding importance 

 in all parts of the states north, and is a subject upon 

 which every farmer in the land wants more light. 

 If some one could illuminate it, he would be at once 

 considered a benefactor of his race, to be mentioned 

 alongside that other rare individual who can make 

 two blades of grass grow where but one grew be- 

 fore. The potato is an edible tuber, and it grows 

 upon all kinds of soil, and is cultivated in a multi- 

 tude of ways by several millions of people. Almost 

 every one of these many individuals has some 

 notion of his own in regard to potatoes. Some 

 notions are no doubt better than others, and some 

 worse, but none of them are any too good, and 

 some are not good enough. They all need investi- 

 gation, and some subjects need it soon. At any rate, 

 the one I am talking about is new and vital to the 

 potato ; and the press of the country can do no 

 better thing than to unanimously call attention to 

 it and ask for elucidation. 



I suppose that the professors in our experiment 

 stations are at this season trying to find something 

 to experiment about next summer. Certainly it is 



L IDEA. 



none too early to begin to think about it. Then 

 why not take up this subject ? But there should 

 be some concert of action on the part of all the 

 stations, commensurate with the importance and 

 novelty of the subject. I do not want to presume 

 to plan out work for people so much wiser than 

 myself, but I simply suggest from the attitude of 

 one who has to dig in the soil to get his potatoes. 

 Now, the question I want to propound is this : How 

 shall we cut potatoes for seed ? I know of growers 

 who cut to a single eye, and some who do not cut at 

 all, and some who do as it happens to come handy. 

 Now, how are we to know who is right ? And what 

 better work is there for the experiment stations, 

 considering the number of potatoes grown in every 

 county every year ? I have spent much time 

 ciphering out how much this fractional township of 

 Mill Creek loses every year in planting potatoes 

 which are not cut up fine enough, and I believe the 

 amount is three or four thousand bushels. Then 

 what must be the' loss over the whole of this great 

 country ? It is singular, as I said before, that no 

 one has taken this matter up. Experiments could 

 be so planned that a multitude of tables could be 

 made of the results. I am aware that great skill is 

 required to carry out such experiments as these, 

 but I feel sure that our experimenters are equal to it. 



Suppose that each experiment station select six 

 plats of ground, all exactly alike in size and kind, 

 and on them plant potatoes in different ways. Let 

 plat I be planted with pieces of one eye, plat 2 

 with pieces having two eyes, and so on up to five 

 eyes. Then on the sixth plant whole potatoes. 

 Then if accurate measurements of growth were 

 taken every day during the season, and all the 

 ^ potatoes were weighed in the fall, I am sure the 

 experiment would give many figures, and afford 

 great opportunity for discussion. Certainly, much 

 literature would be added to a very important and 

 much neglected subject. R. T. Choke. 



