Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1893 — Potato Culture. [ARTICLE]

Potato Culture.

Hartford Courant. Professor Plum's experiments in potato culture, as related in Garden and Forest, go to show that large tubers throw out more shoots and produce a much larger crop than small ones. Instead of cutting to one, two or three eye pieces, the professor recommends cutting to two or three ounce pieces. Regarding soils his experiments, extending over many years, show great difference in the product in a moist or dry soil, or in one thoroughly pulverized, or in a dry or moist season, in affecting the condition of the planted tubers. In a very dry soil, small planted tubers lose theirffowcr more or less in producing shoots; while in a finely pulverized, moist soil, the growth is strong and the product greater. When the potatoes are planted whole their impervious coating prevents this drying, and there is a smaller loss in a dry soil. For this reason it is often better to plant the potatoes whole when the planting is done late in spring or early in summer. In a moist and well prepared soil there is much less difference between the effect of large and small pieces. Referring to the Professor’s experience, the Country Gentleman says that some years ago it performed a series of experiments to determine the effect of using large or small tubers for seed. The large ones weighed half a pound, the small ones about half an ounce. Each was cut alike in two or three pieces containing the same number of eyes. A fine, rich, rather strong soil was selected, made sufficiently line'to retain its moisture. They were planted early in the season and a uniform and proper moisture continued during the summer. When the resulting crop was dug each kind was kept carefully separate. .The potatoes from the small seed were quite as large as those from the large ones, and spectators pronounced the crops of equal size. But on measuring them it was found that the larger tubers gave one-tenth more in product. Had the soil been dry, or lumpy, or cloddy, or had a severe drought prevailed, or had they been planted late, it is probable that the small seed would not have given onehalf the others.