

209 
It appears also that the absorption was somewhat greater from the « 
tubers planted in the sand, than from those in the potting soil. In 
tubers Nos. 7 and 8, the ash was determined in the remaining dry 
matter, and was found to be about 50 per cent. more in No. 7 than in 
No. 8. 
It would seem from these data that even on very fertile soil, the 
stored nutriment in the potato tuber furnishes a more congenial food 
for the growing plant, than fertilizing elements contained in the soil; 
and that upon poor soils at least, an advantage may be gained by 
planting whole tubers or large sections. 
Second Haperiment. 
For the second experiment, four short rows of White Star pota- 
toes were planted in the garden May 30; two of the rows being sin- 
gle eyes, which we designate as Nos. 1 and 2, and the other two 
whole tubers, which we call Nos. 3 and 4. All the hills vegetated 
promptly. 
On June 22 the soil was removed, with a garden trowel, from one 
side of all the hills in the four rows, sufficiently to expose the seed 
tuber or section to,view. The seed sections in row No. 1, and the 
seed tubers in row No. 3 were then carefully plucked from the 
growing stems and removed from the hills, while those of Nos. 
® and 4 were left intact. The earth was then replaced about the 
hills. At this time the tops of rows land % were three to four inches 
high, and those of rows 3 and 4 were about six inches high. 
Strange to say, no perceptible effect upon the growth of the plants 
followed the removal of the seed. 
October 3 the rows were dug, and the tubers assorted and weighed 
with the following result: 
Number Weight of Total Total 
erential merchantable. number. weight. 
able. 
Row No. 1, single eyes, seed 
cuttings removed .______- 30 12 lbs. 74 0z. 50 14 lbs. 15 oz. 
“ ** 2, single eyes, seed 
cuttings not removed... 30 10 lbs. 103 0z 65 14 lbs. Ooz, 
cf 8, Whole tubers, 
seed tubers removed. _.- 41 19 lbs. 4 oz. 85 —_.23 Ibs. 11 oz. 
s« «* 4, whole tubers, 
seed tubers notremoved__ 48 17 Ibs. 10402. 90 22 lbs. 1 oz. 
Our experience with the yields of rows treated alike, shows us 
clearly that these results, for the same seed planted, are as nearly 
equal as could be expected in duplicate plantings, and hence we are 
compelled to infer that in this experiment the nutriment in the 
seed tubers or sections was of no value to the growing plants after 
the date at which those of rows 1 and 3 were removed. 
Another experiment on a small scale, was ¢onducted to show the 
comparative value of cuttings of different sizes, and also the compar- 
ative vigor of tip and base eyes. 
On May 7 we selected ten White Star tubers, of nearly equal size, 
and divided these into two lots of tive each. Of the first five, one 
tuber was left entire, asecond had, as nearly as could be measured by 
the eye, one fifth of its bulk cut away from the stem end, a third 
had two fifths cut away, a fourth three fifths, and the fifth four 
fifths. Thus we had of this five, one whole tuber, one section con- 
14 
