t’oTATo Culture in Colorado 
9 
a plant has the proper conditions for full development, and then 
provide the proper kind of seed. There is a tendency to over¬ 
emphasize seed selection, and substitute good seed for proper 
cultural methods. This does not mean that the grower should 
neglect the seed end of the business, but rather that we should 
aim to provide the best possible condition for seed planted. When 
we speak of pedigree seed, we do not really mean pedigree in 
the sense that is used by the plant breeder, for we are not dealing 
with seed in the proper sense of the word, but we are dealing with 
a cutting. 
While the cutting will produce a plant like that from which 
the cutting was taken, insofar as the general character of the plant 
is concerned, the potato or tuber is an underground stem for the 
purpose of storing up food for another season’s growth, and, if 
we remember that the storing up process is dependent upon the 
soil, climate, and the general conditions that surround the plant, 
we can readily realize that the cultural side of potato growing 
is the most important factor in the production of a larger crop. 
Hill Selection .—This method of obtaining good seed is now 
recognized to be the most effective. It consists in going over the 
field during the month of August, and marking the strong, vig¬ 
orous hills, such as the grower considers ideal in both growth, 
habit, and in yield. These marked hills are dug in the fall pre¬ 
vious to the digging of the main crop, and, if at digging time 
they measure up to the requirements set, they are saved, kept 
separately for seed, and planted in a separate plot the following 
year. All tubers from these selected hills are saved, as a small 
tuber from a good hill is better than large tubers from a poor hill. 
Bin Selection .—Many growers practice bin selection, that is, 
the grower picks his seed from the stock of potatoes on hand, 
either during the winter or in the spring before planting. This 
method is good, but is subject to some objections, for often poor 
productive hills, and even diseased hills, will produce smooth 
and true-to-type tubers, and these are selected with others and 
planted. 
Screenings .—A large share of potato growers use the screen¬ 
ings for seed, and claim that they are justified in so doing both 
by reason of economy and yields obtained. The practice is not 
ach'isable under the best system of potato growing. It may be 
tolerated in years of seed shortage, but it should never be made 
a main practice. A modified method of using screenings for seed 
is adapted by some growers. It consists in selecting the best 
