552 On the Treatment of Decayed Potatoes, S^-c. 
are more favourable to their after-development than that to vi^hich 
they have been exposed in pits, that autumn-planted potatoes have 
yielded a grateful return for their kinder treatment. Now, when 
we consider that it is impossible at once to ascertain whether those 
vi'ho have been accustomed to behave to their potatoes thus roughly 
will at once follow more kindly modes of treatment, it is certainly 
advisable to encourage the planting of potatoes now if the weather 
prove favourable for doing so, rather than allow the weak tubers 
of the present year to perish under the rough usage which their 
hardy ancestors w^ere unable to bear. 
Whole tubers planted now will certainly have a better chance 
than cut sets to struggle against the dangers which still beset 
them. But, at the same time, it must not be forgotten, that in 
planting the whole tubers we are sacrificing much which might 
be useful for seed in a time of scarcity. The buds or eyes have 
each of them the power of producing new plants, son.e more 
quickly and vigorous than others. It is an acknowledged fact in 
practice, that tubers imperfectly matured grow plants more vigo- 
rous than those produced from the fully ripe potato. Owing to 
this circumstance, the upper or youngest eyes of the potato yield 
a crop nearly a fortnight sooner than that grown from the under 
eyes. The middle eyes, in the same way, may be made to pro- 
duce an intermediate crop. The separation of these are niceties 
not usually introduced into practice, but which may become neces- 
sary on occasions like the present. Any scarcity of food may be 
met to a considerable extent by forwarding the growth of our 
crops next year. Suppose, then, that we select early varieties for 
planting, and that we use the top eyes for our earliest crop, or 
plant the small tubers whole noio (in which case the crown eyes 
will grow to the exclusion of the rest), we may obtain early crops 
to come in aid of any expected scarcity. An opinion some time 
since prevailed that we were to look to foreign countries for our 
seed potatoes. But consular returns have shown us, although 
commercial enterprise may furnish a good supply from Galicia 
and Bordeaux, still that when we consider the immense amount 
which would be required for new seed — 800,000 tons for Ireland 
alone — it is obvious that this importation would only very partially 
relieve our exigencies, and that to a great extent we must depend 
upon our own resources. Now it very fortunately happens thdt 
we may obtain a very large provision of seed from potatoes used 
for domestic consumption, without to any serious extent diminish- 
ing our supply for that purpose. If the eyes be preserved along 
with a small part of the potato to serve as nutriment for the young 
plant, they may be planted in spring and will produce plants as 
well as the tuber. This is no mere theoretical opinion : it is a 
practice constantly followed out in Canada and Brussels, and has 
