LESSONS ON POTATOES EOR EUEAL SCHOOLS. 17 
2. A practice more or less common in Europe and one which is 
used to some extent in the United States is that of greening seed. 
Essentially it consists in keeping the seed during winter and spring 
in shallow trays racked up in buildings so constructed that each tuber 
is in the light. The sprouts at the seed ends start and grow short, 
green, and stubby. When planted, these potatoes start quickly and 
grow rapidly. The cost of the equipment and of the labor re- 
quired to place the seed in the racks and again to place the seed in 
the ground with the sprouts up would be heavy in the United States. 
Unless seed which has been sprouted in this way for some time is 
planted with the sprouts up, there is trouble in loss of stand. How- 
ever, a modification of the plan may be used for American condi- 
tions of cost and labor such that green sprouts grown in the light for 
a short time will not be broken off in a potato planter, and will give 
no trouble about coming up. Therefore the seed may be kept on the 
barn floor in the sun for two weeks or less and save the strength of 
the sprouts which would be lost by growth in the cellar. 
For potato growers who desire to get their potatoes on an early 
market, a saving from one week to ten days may be made by this 
process. 
3. Planting the crop — Time of planting depends upon the local 
soil, climate, and the market for which the crop is grown. Discuss 
advantages of early and late plantings; compare methods of ridging 
and level culture. Upon what does the value of each method depend ? 
Methods of planting hill and drill — advantages and disadvantages 
of each; depth of planting and distance apart of plants and rows; 
planting tools ; where would machinery for planting be economical ? 
Discuss hand planting; depth of planting. 
Practical exercises.- — As a preliminary to the treatment of seed po- 
tatoes for diseases, some instruction on how to identify such diseases 
should be given. The student should be given an opportunity to 
sort potatoes, picking out those that show signs of disease. Prac- 
tice should be given in preparing the formalin solution and in actu- 
ally treating the seed potatoes. One pint of formalin (a 40 per cent 
solution of formaldehyde) diluted in 30 gallons of water is sufficient 
to treat 20 bushels of seed. Soak the potatoes about two hours. Ac- 
tual practice in the cutting of potatoes should be given. If pos- 
sible, take the class to a farm where potatoes are being planted, and 
with the consent of the owner, have them take part in the various 
planting processes from cutting the potatoes, to dropping and cover- 
ing. Those students whoi have a potato project may obtain the 
practice work on their own plats, or may assist their fathers in plant- 
ing. In such cases a report of the process should be made to the 
class. Where the potato scab is found, observations should be taken, 
