168 REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST OF THE 
the room over the dairy, which was kept ata moderately warm 
temperature and is well lighted. The others were peaiee in a 
cool part of the cellar. 
On May 5 both lots of tubers were planted on main plats » 3-6, 
inclusive. 
The results, both as to earliness and yield, were negative. The 
tops of the rows planted with the tubers exposed to light and 
warmth did not die earlier than those of the others, so far as 
could be discovered. In the yield the difference was very slight, 
only about twenty-one pounds of merchantable potatoes on the 
one-twentieth acre. This slight difference was in favor of the — 
tubers exposed to the light. 
Removing the Seed End. 
It has been asserted that the maturity of potatoes may be 
hastened by cutting off the end of the seed tuber opposite to the 
stem. 
An experiment made upon main plats G 9 and 10 did not 
confirm this proposition. The plats were planted May 16 with 
tubers of medium size, those planted in alternate rows having 
the “seed” ends removed, and the remainder having an equal 
amount cut from the opposite end, the tubers being placed two 
feet apart. No difference was perceptible in the time of dying of 
the tops. The yield showed an excess in favor of retaining 
the “seed” end of 28 pounds on the one-twentieth of an acre, 
which in this case was nearly 20 per cent of the whole crop. 
The pieces cut off were also planted with very similar results, 
that is to say, there was no perceptible difference in the time of 
maturity, and the “seed” ends yielded somewhat more than the 
stem ends. 
The results of these trials agree it those secured in a pre-- 
vious experiment* in the use of the seed and stem end of tubers 
for planting. 
FERTILIZER BELOW vERSUS FERTILIZER ABOVE THE SEED TUBER. 
At the suggestion of Mr. E. 8S. Carman, of the Rural New 
Yorker, an experiment was made to ascertain whether fertilizer 
placed below or above the seed tuber is more conducive to yield. 
*See Report New York Agricultural Experiment Station, 1882, pp. 122-4. 
; 

ee el ee = 
