SIZE OF POTATO SETS. 
17 
of larger size, especially the whole tubers, will produce a heavier 
yield than those of smaller size. With these conditions reversed the 
advantage is in favor of the medium to smaller set, because it does 
not produce as many stems and in consequence does not set as many 
tubers; therefore a larger percentage of them reach marketable size. 
EXPERIMENTS AT THE VIRGINIA TRUCK EXPERIMENT STATION. 
The trials at the Virginia Truck Experiment Station in 1914 in- 
cluded 2-ounce whole and halved, 3-ounce whole and halved, and 
4 and 6 ounce w r hole and halved tubers. In the following year the 
test was enlarged to include 4-ounce halved and quartered, and 
6-ounce quartered during 1916, 1917, and 1918. The study in- 
cluded in addition to the sizes mentioned, 3-ounce quartered and 
5-ounce w r hole, halved, and quartered, thus giving a range of three- 
fourths of an ounce to 6 ounces in size of set planted. In the 1919 
studies only two sizes were used, 3 and 4 ounce tubers. A part of these 
were planted whole; others were halved and still others quartered. 
In tabulating the yield obtained from these sets of various sizes 
during the six seasons mentioned, it has been thought desirable to 
group those of the same character, regardless of their weight. For 
example, the whole tubers are presented first and then the halved 
and quartered sets in the order named. A careful study of the data 
presented in Table 7 shows low yields in 1914, 1917, and 1919, medium 
or normal yields in 1915 and 1918, and a high yield in 1916. In view 
of the fact that these six crops were grown in alternate years on 
adjacent plats of land, it seems justifiable to assume that the sea- 
sonal variations in yield w 7 ere due to fluctuation in climatic rather than 
in soil-fertility conditions. In the "Yield of primes, net" columns 
the weight of seed planted was deducted from the 2-ounce whole or 
halved seed, notwithstanding the fact that a 2-ounce tuber is not 
generally regarded as merchantable. This course was pursued in 
order to make the comparison as nearly uniform as possible. 
Table 7. — Comparative yields from Irish Cobbler potato sets of different sizes at 
the Virginia Truck Experiment Station in stated years. 
[In the columns headed "Yield of primes, net" the quantity of seed planted has been deducted, making 
the number of bushels net, as given.] 
Weight 
of set. 
Yields per 
acre, 1914. 
Yields per acre, 1915. 
Yields per acre, 1916. 
Kind of set 
planted. 
Primes 
Culls. 
Yield of 
primes. 
Primes 
Culls. 
Yield of 
primes. 
Primes 
Culls. 
Yield of 
primes. 
Ac- 
tual. 
Net. 
Ac- 
tual. 
Net. 
Ac- 
tual. 
Net. 
Whole: 
2-ounce 
3-ounce 
4-ounce 
Ozs. 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
1 
9 
? 
! 
l 
ii 
Bush. 
87.2 
67.9 
87.1 
Bush. 
75.8 
85.0 
107.1 
Per 
cent. 
53.5 
44.4 
44.9 
Bush. 
67.0 
34.9 
43.1 
Bush . 
221.7 
264.2 
259.2 
Bush . 
57.1 
68.3 
79.2 
Per 
cent. 
79.5 
79.5 
76.6 
Bush. 
198.2 
228.9 
212.1 
Bush. 
300.1 
366.7 
367.8 
391.0 
388.0 
216.7 
374.0 
356.2 
389.2 
383.4 
357.4 
346.3 
347.1 
342. 5 
Bush. 
96.2 
100.7 
120.2 
148.8 
168.2 
57.7 
66.0 
72.8 
77.6 
82.1 
48.6 
68.1 
57.7 
62 5 
Per 
cent. 
75.7 
78.5 
75.4 
72.4 
69.8 
79.0 
85.0 
83.0 
83.4 
82.4 
88.0 
83.5 
85.7 
84.6 
Bush. 
279.3 
335.4 
321.6 
338. 2 
6-ounce 
Halved: 
2-ounce 
3-ounce 
4-ounce 
121.2 
82.9 
89.2 
118.5 
87.5 
52.3 
61.9 
72.7 
58.1 
61.3 
59.0 
62.0 
55.2 
71.9 
72.7 
96.5 
220.4 
220.0 
230.8 
276.7 
108.8 
36.7 
40.0 
47.5 
67.0 
85.7 
85.2 
85.3 
149.8 
208.2 
213.1 
253. 2 
325.5 
195.9 
358.4 
335.4 
362.8 
6-ounce 
Quartered: 
123.1 
73.8 
62.5 
90.1 
270.8 
57.1 
82.6 
235. 5 
352.2 
349.6 
232.9 
37.5 
86.1 
221.1 
330.9 
333.9 
% 
245.8 
43.3 
85.0 
228.1 
326.9 
1 
85070°— 24t- 
