G. D. HOWE’S POTATO MANUAL. 
35 
HOW I SELECT MY SEED STOCK- 
The continued and careful experiments of the New York Experiment 
Station has led conclusively to the decision that Seed Potatoes can be 
hied or grown for productiveness by proper selection of seed stock. 
Their experiments were exhaustive on the subject, and the results 
are rational. 
Their methods of experimenting to reach this conclusion, were to 
plant the largest tubers and smallest tubers from the most productive 
hills, by themselves, and the same division of the potatoes from the 
least productive hills of a certain patch. 
Iu most instances the result of the smallest tubers from the most 
productive hills exceeded in yield those from the largest seed of the 
least productive hills. The yield of the largest tubers from the most 
productive hills exceeded by considerable the yield from the largest 
tubers of the least productive hills. 
The principle is plain and reasonable. Why not improve your seed 
potato stock by selection as well as improve your herd of cows for 
milk, butter or beef, by selection? 
To do this, it must be done at digging time, and of course all know 
it involves quite a little trouble and expense. 
This is the way all my potatoes are selected for seed ; so, according 
to the results of the New York Experiment Station, even my small 
potatoes are worth more than common, unselected stock ot large size. 
Do you wonder that we have to get a little more for carefully raised 
seed potatoes than they are worth to eat. 
Another thing of considerable consequence is the changing of seed 
stock, introducing seed grown in a different climate. 1 had seed 
potatoes from over a dozen different sources last year and in many 
cases direct from the originators and original introducers, to insure 
true stock. I shall continue to get new seed from reliable growers 
to compare with my own selected stock, including all the new varie- 
ties as fast as they are introduced, thus my customers can get of me 
the new varieties introduced by the various seedsmen, all in one 
package, and at money saving prices. 
Many potato growers firmly believe it means dollars iu their poc- 
ket to get seed grown away from their vicinity and do so for their 
entire crop every year I know several common farmers who do this 
to say nothing of market men and specialists. 
While I think there is considerable in this, yet I think the careful 
selection of most productive stock has more to do with it. But 
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