SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, MARCH 28. 



liii 



thus speedily causing premature sprouting. That is especially an evil 

 practice in the southern districts, because potatoes ripen early, and a3 

 a consequence push growth early. That the result is of the most 

 weakening effect has been demonstrated over and over again. Whilst 

 our crops southwards are ripe often from six to eight weeks earlier than 

 are those in the north, we cannot, because of the prevalence of spring 

 frosts, safely plant much earlier than in the north. 



Three hundred years of European cultivation have left the potato 

 plant as tender as ever it was, and but one sharp spring frost on the 

 plants may kill them to the ground. All good growers hold that boxing 

 seed tubers and wintering in cool sheds away from frost, and where 

 comparative rest is secured, is invariably followed by finer crops than those 

 obtained from tubers that have been pitted and prematurely sprouted, 

 the blanched sprouts being removed. Is it wise to have potato breadths 

 moulded up, as is commonly done? That it is done chiefly to keep 

 tubers froni exposure to light and air is the case, but it still remains a 

 question how far the practice may be detrimental to the robustness of the 

 plant. The method of propagating potatoes by means of sprouts or cuttings 

 taken from tubers forced into premature growth in warmth under glass, 

 not at all a new practice, but one much revived last year, has led to the 

 declaration that it means ruin to the constitution of the potato. Absolute 

 proof that such would be the result has not been furnished, and although 

 it may be out of place further to refer to the practice here, yet before 

 such doctrine is accepted more experiments must be made. To that 

 end it would be well if a series of experiments could be conducted 

 at Wisley on such lines — plants obtained from sprout-cuttings raised 

 and planted out beside others of the same variety raised from ordinarily 

 planted tubers, the progeny in each case being grown-on also side by 

 side for three or four years. Also experiments might be conducted to 

 show the effects of whole large tubers and cut large tubers against 

 those of the customary round tubers that are generally planted, so as to 

 ascertain which progeny would, after some three or four years, the soonest 

 deteriorate. The effects of earthing-up and non-earthing could be tried, also 

 the effects of change of seed from various soils and climates as compared 

 with similar varieties home-grown. These and many other allied experi- 

 ments might well be conducted at Wisley by a special Potato Committee. 



Effect of Soils. — Whatever may be the effects of different soils on 

 potato-plant growth, it is certain that they do produce very markedly 

 diverse effects on the quality of potatoes for edible purposes. How far 

 deficiency of starch in a tuber may affect its productive capacity when 

 planted, as compared with the same capacity of a tuber of similar size that 

 is thoroughly starchy, is a matter which experiment and observ ation alone 

 can prove. It is instructive to find that of the same varieties grown on 

 diverse soils or in diverse localities, whilst some are really good in 

 an edible sense, cooking dry, mealy, and starchy, from other soils the 

 tubers are watery, close, tasteless, and altogether worthless as food. If 

 such be the effect of soils on tubers, may it not be probable that weaken- 

 ing effects would follow in the growth of the plant ? Here it is evident 

 the analytical chemist is needed to show in what elements the tubers and 

 the soil may be deficient, and what manures are needed to provide them. 



