I 
86 Report of the Horticulturist of the 
ductive hills, reaching through the past four seasons, the evidence has 
been so uniformly in favor of the former that there can be no longer 
any doubt of the importance of this method of selecting seed. No 
computations intended to express the real increase in yield j3er acre 
that is likely to result from such selection are offered. It is sufficient 
if the experiment proves that this method of selecting seed tends to 
increased crop. It is reasonable to expect, though the trials do not 
prove it, that the gain in vigor would be cumulative — that is, that it 
would increase from year to year so long as the selection is pi*acticed, 
or up to the limit of the variety. The results of this experiment at 
least offer hope that a remedy is available for the deterioration in 
productiveness of varieties of the potato. 
Cuttings versus Whole Tubers of the Same Weight. 
In the Station Report for 1886, pp. 151-153, is reported an experi- 
ment in the use of whole tubers, and cuttings of equal average 
weight, in which the yield appeared to favor the whole tubers. This 
experiment was repeated the last season on main plats B 14, 15 and 
16. The first of these plats was planted in alternate rows with single 
eyes, and whole tubers of which the average weight was exactly the 
same as the cuttings. The second was planted with three eye cuttings 
and whole tubers of equal weight, and the third with half potatoes, 
and whole tubers of equal weight. The plats were planted May 3, 
and the crop was harvested October 7 and 8. The yields were as 
follows : 
