6 BULLETTX 1248, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
In Minnesota, Porter (71) found, that quartered seed ends of 
large tubers gave a larger yield than 2-eye sets from large tubers, 
whole seed, or quartered stem ends. The quartered seed gave a 
net yield of 286.4 bushels per acre, the 2-eye sets 263.8 bushels, the 
whole seed 224.3 bushels, and the quartered stem ends 223.4 bushels. 
Scovell (88 , p. 9-10) made a comparative study of 2-eye sets and 
small and large whole tubers. The large whole seed yielded at the 
rate of 260 bushels per acre, the small whole 193 bushels, and the 
2-eye sets 150 bushels. In 1888 Scovell and Peter (84, p. 8-9) 
reported larger net yields from small whole tubers than from 
large ones or from cut seed. The yields in all cases were very low, 
however, and little reliance should be placed on these results. 
Alvord (-5, p. 24) obtained larger yields from egg-sized whole 
tubers than from sets of ordinary size or from single eves. The 
average yields during the years 1885, 1886, and 1888 were 281.5 
bushels per acre from the whole tubers, 191 bushels from the ordinary 
sets, and 128.6 bushels from the single-eye sets. 
In 1889 Green (43) published the results of some comparative 
studies upon the relative value of whole and cut seed. The test 
included (1) large whole tubers, (2) large tubers from which all but 
two eyes were removed, (3) large tubers halved lengthwise, (4) 
apical halves of large tubers, (5) basal halves of lar^e tubers, (6) 
basal halves quartered, (7) apical halves quartered, (8) 2-eye sets, 
(9) small tubers cut crosswise, and (10) small tubers cut lengthwise. 
The data show that in yield of merchantable tubers 3 and 4 were 
tied for first place with others following in the order named: 10, 2, 
1, 5, 8 and 9 tied, 7, -6. In total yield the order was 4, 3, 1, 5, 10,. 9, 
8, 2, 6, 7. The conclusions to be drawn are that in this particular 
test halved tubers gave larger yields than whole ones. 
Bishop (15, p. 63) says that "there is no evidence to prove that 
there is any advantage in planting sets of large potatoes instead of 
small ones or even whole small tubers of equal weight with the 
former." 
Garman's (55, p. 15) conclusions from a three years' study of 
size of set were that large whole potatoes gave better yields than cut 
seed. These conclusions are airectly reversed by Johnson (54, 
p. 6), who states that a medium quantity of seed is better than a 
whole potato or one cut to single eyes. Emery (82) in 1S90 published 
the results of tests of whole and cut seed covering three years in 
which the data were distinctly in favor of whole egg-size potatoes 
as compared with the usual seed piece and fair-sized single-eye sets. 
His conclusions were that the larger the size of the set planted the 
larger will be the resultant crop. In 1891 (83, p. 378) he published 
a second report, in which a comparison is made between whole, 
halved, and quartered tubers. The data in this case also were in 
favor of whole seed. These results were obtained, however, from 
plants spaced 44 by 18 inches apart, which spacing, of course, was 
distinctly the besl for whole seed, as the larger the size of the set 
the greater should be the distance allowed between the plants. 
Plumb (70) made a careful comparison of the relative merits of 
(1) whole tubers ranging in weight from 1 to 2 ounces up to 12 to 
1 1 ounces; (2) large and medium-sized whole tubers, halves, quari 
and single eyes; and (3) whole tubers with halved sets from whole 
