202 
Terminal Eyes vs. Other Lyes. 
As an experiment intended to furnish evidence upon this question, 
we planted the tip eyes by themselves, in our entire second planting 
of 117 varieties. As the seed tubers were being cut to single eyes, 
the sections containing the terminal clusters of eyes were kept sepa- 
rate from the remainder. These sections, which were on the average 
about the size of a large chestnut,,were planted by themselves, at the 
beginning of each row. When the crop was harvested, the yield of 
these eyes, with that of an equal number of eyes taken at random 
from the remaining part of the tubers, was noted separately for com- 
parison. 
E The yields of the tip eyes, and of those weighed for comparison, 
are given in the preceding table. 
A careful examination of this table reveals the fact that in 103, 
out of the 113 comparable varieties, both the merchantable, and total 
yields of the tip eyes were less than those of the eyes from the re- 
‘nainder of the tuber; while in only four,varieties out of the 113, did 
the merchantable and total yields of the tip eyes exceed those of the 
eyes from the remainder. The average for all the varieties shows 
that the merchantable yield of the tip eyes was about thirty-eight 
per cent. less, and that of the total yield was about thirty-four per 
cent. less, than that of the other eyes. 
In the Station report for 1883, p. 122, the results of experiments 
similar in kind to this one are noted, in which it appears that the 
tip eyes when used for seed, gave yields not inferior, but somewhat, 
superior, to the eyes from the center and stem ends of the tubers. 
Without assuming to account for the discordant results of the two 
experiments, we note the fact that during the thirty days succeeding 
the planting of the plats of 1883, four and fifty-one hundredths 
inches of rain fell, while during the same time following the 1885 
planting, only one and forty-nine hundredths inches of rain fell. In 
other words, the planting of the experiment of 1883 was followed by 
unusually abundant rains, while that of the present experiment was 
followed by comparative drought. The tip sections being smaller 
than the others, perhaps suffer more in time of drought. In view 
of the results obtained in 1883, it seems possible that the difference 
in the yield, in the present instance, is due as much to the difference 
in size of the cuttings, as to the portions of the tuber used. 
The conclusion outlined is that there is safety in large cuttings. 
An Average Yield of four Plantings. 
Our experience in testing varieties of the potato, has shown that 
their comparative productiveness is not constant in different plant- 
ings, nor in different seasons. It is a matter of importance, how- 
ever, to discover which varieties give the largest average yield 
through a seriesof years. We present a table giving the data that we 
have on this subject, in which the merchantable and total yields of 
each variety are given in pounds. The seed used in all the plant- 
ings is from, or descended from that planted by the Station in 1888. 
It appears that the American Giant gives the largest average mer- 
chantable yield, and the Rural Blush the largest total yield, of the 
varieties from which we have four crops. An arrangement of varie- 
ties in the order of their merchantable yield would be preferable, 
were it not that some of the sorts were omitted in a portion of the 
plantings. 


