April i, 1892.] 
THF. TROPICAL AQRIOULTURIST. 
781 
JUlSir POTATO UAISINO. 
(Extract from Forthoomiiii? Bulletin of Virginia 
Experiment Station.) 
MKTJIODS OF CULTrilK. 
Much has been written upon the subject of methods 
of cutting, planting and ciiltivating potatoes, and the 
Experiment Stations have givoii considorablo attention 
to work calculated to throw light upon these (jucs* 
tions. Such work has an iini)ortant practical bearing, 
but the results already obtained appear to cover the 
main points of the subject; hence but little atten* 
tion has been devoted to it here. As a tnatter of 
general importance, we undertake to briefly discuss 
the main points o’’ the subject, or, rather, to give 
the practical conclusions which seems to be war- 
ranted from the tests that have been made. 
The questions which enter into this subject are — 
3 St. What size of tuber should be used for seed? 
2nd. Should the seed be cut or planted whole? 
8rd. If cut, to what size of pieces ? 
4th. Should the seed be planted in trenches or 
upon the surface ? 
5th. How should fertilizers be applied? 
There are several points of view from which each 
subdivision or question, noted above, may bo dis- 
cussed. 
(1) THK SIZE OF HEED. 
This question, in one of its aspects, hinges upon 
the other question of whether there is a decided 
teiidency on the part of varieties to deteriorate or 
not, and wuether careful selection of seed, in any 
degree, mitigates this tendency. There can scarcely 
bo any longer a doubt in the mind of cultivators 
who have given tlie subject attention, that varieties 
do deteriorate. Also, it it well known that deterior- 
ation is less marked where careful selection and good 
culture are given, and climatic indueuces are pro- 
itious. In HUjiport of this the common fact may 
e cited, that alter an old, choice variety has practi- 
cally disappeared from general cultivation, or at 
least good Htock of it can, with difficulty, bo secured, a 
choice lot of seed may often bo obtained from some 
locality where it has been kept pure and maintained 
fair vigor through the fact of its being woii-adopted 
to the soil and climate of that region. j 
The main fact of variety deterioration is clearly | 
oatablished and needs no argument. This doubtless 
bas its main cause in the fact that potatoes are 
solely propagated by bud division, and not by true 
botanical »oed — i. that in which there has been 
the union of sexes, os in the grain of wheat, ker* 
iiel of com, &c. 
This being true, the importance of selection of 
individuals from which to propagate is at once ap- 
parent. But the qiicBtiou oi the potency of the in- 
nividual tuber does not rest alone upon its appearance 
and size, but in part upon the vigor, health, and proli- 
ficacy of the parent plant. Hence it is at once plain 
that there can be given no fast rule by which to 
Helect potato tubers from appearance. 
It is quite generally believed among studouts of 
this question that somthing might be done toward 
keeping up tlio quality and vigor of variety by care- 
ful selection from vigorou.s prolific jilants, but not 
enough has been done along this line to warrant 
any conclusion. Our bolief is that in the selection 
of potato-seed nothing more can be done than to 
choose those which conform as nearly to the type 
of variety as possible, and are perfectly sound and 
Well-matured. 
It would not bo advisable to select all of the very 
large tubers for seed, as such seed cuts more to 
Waste than smaller tubers ; nor would it be desirable 
to select very small tubers, as they certainly furnish 
loss substance to the buds when starting. Any 
“ouiid, well-ahapcd tuber of the size of a hen’s egg 
‘‘-‘id upward is perfectly proper seed. 
(2) PLANTING CUT OR WHOLE SEED. 
This question hinges somewhat on the previous 
and also upon economy of seed, method of 
planting, and object had in view in growing the crop. 
98 
As a general statement, we would say that if 
potatoes the size of a hen's egg and upwards are 
selected, and it is desired to economize seed, they 
sliould always be cut. If smaller seed be used, they 
may as well be planted whole ; but if planted in a 
carefully prepared soil, will do fairly w-ell cut in 
lialves. It early maturity Is desired, medium-sized 
wliole potatoes, or larger ones cut in halves cross- 
wise, are advised. A small area planted in this 
manner will usually come to edible maturity several 
days sooner than if cut to “two-eyos,” as stated 
under following head. 
This question boars so upon tlie following one that 
we discuss it tnoro fully below. 
(S) what size khould seed be cut ? 
No question in the culture of potatoes has been 
wrangled over in newspaper and other discussion to 
the extent that this one has. Fortunately, expert* 
nionts on this point have been sufficient to teach, 
with reasonable certainty, the following facts: 
1st. That, almost without exception, good healthy, 
average size tubers will give better results in crop 
and economize seed if cut to “ two-eye " pieces, as fa 
further described below. 
2ud. That with varieties producing small growth 
of vines, and when close planting is practical, with 
fioil in excellent emditiw^ seed may be safely cut to 
“ one-eye ” We do not recommend this practice. 
fird. That larger cutting than two eyes (except 
the oyes are very close ou the tuber) is waste of 
seed, unless it is desired to force the plants along 
rapidly. This the larger cutting will usually do. 
4th. That when larger cutting is practiced, it ia 
just as well, and perhaps better, to cut the tuber 
crosswise than lengthwise. 
The stem-end, middle, and seed end eyes, show 
about equal vitality under equal conditions. 
OENEBAL OBSERVATIONS ON CUTTING SEED POTATOES. 
A very large amount of data and discussion has 
been printed on the subject of methods of cutting 
seed potatoes, and the conclusion has appeared in 
print that the yield of c>xtp w /mind to he jjf'ojx>rtional 
to the quantity of seed planted. This conclusion needs 
to be carefully qualified, which has not always been 
the case in publications whore it has appeared. It 
is perfectly true that whole medium or large-sized 
potatoes usuallv give and increased yield over smaller 
tubers or small cuttings, and also show a gain of a 
few days in edible maturity. But they also show a 
very decidedly larger yield of small or unmerchant- 
able tubers, and increase the cost of seed many fold, 
van ing of course with size of tuber used. 
This may be illustrated by stating that seed cut 
to “two oye” pieces requires 8 to 10 bushels to 
plant an acre, if the pieces are placed 10 to 12 
inches apart in the row, and the rows 2^ to 3 feet 
apart. Vvhole seed planted in hills 12 to 20 inches 
apart will require 40 to 60 bushels to plant an acre. 
The conditions desired in growing potatoes is to 
place the plants so as to occupy the entire ground, 
tiaving them just far enough apart to secure good 
individual development of tubers. This can be Lest 
accomplished by small cutUnga planted closely, 
say row's 2lr feet apart and planted 10 inches apart 
in row's. With Early Ohio, Early Hebron, Sunrise, 
and several other varieties so planted, nearly the 
entire yield will be of markotahle size. 
There is much room for skilful work in cutting 
seed potatoes. The often-practiced method of cut- 
ting the tubers in two lengthwise or crosswise at 
raudoni, and then cutting these pieces into smaller 
portions, is reprehensible. There is, in our estima- 
tion, but one proper method of cutting seed ; and 
wo believe that growers who have once tried this 
niethod will assent to the above statement. 
To illustrate this, we here reproduce a cut which 
has been commonly used to advertise a certain 
knife mado especially for this purpose. The method 
of cutting which wo allude to is to take the tuber 
in the loft hand, holding the stem end downwards 
and towards the operator. Turn it so as to bring 
tl»o lowest eyes towards you, then with a sharp 
thin knife cut them out, making a curving down- 
