THE VEGETABLE GARDEN: WHAT, WHEN, AND HOW TO PLANT TEXT

adjoining plats in the spring of 1905, and given identical cultivation during the summer. In 1906 the experiment was repeated with seed grown in mulched and in cultivated ground the year before. The same precautions were observed as in the first test. Uniform seed was used to start with in 1905. The seed saved from the mulched and from the cultivated plats was taken as it came, without selection, and was kept over winter under the same conditions. Both kinds of seed were cut in the same way, planted in the same way, on adjoining plats, and treated alike as regards tillage, spraying, etc. Under these conditions any constant differences in yield between the two plats must be ascribed to the effect of the methods of culture employed the previous season. The yields obtained from the mulched and from the cultivated seed were as follows: Cultivated seed, 384 pounds in 1905; mulched seed, 563 pounds in 1905; cultivated seed, 123 pounds in 1906; mulched seed, 174 pounds in 1906. The use of seed that had been grown under a mulch the preceding year increased the yield of potatoes 47 per cent in 1905 and 41 per cent in 1906. If further tests confirm the results reported here, it would seem that mulching might be used for the production of high-grade seed potatoes at home. Moreover, mulching usually results in increased yields if properly handled. Mulching potatoes on a large scale is of course impracticable, but most farmers could easily mulch enough of their potato field to produce the seed that they would require the following year, and in doing so they would not necessarily increase the cost of production per bushel. _Time to Cut Seed Potatoes._--At least three American experiment stations have conducted tests to learn the effect of cutting seed potatoes several days or weeks in advance of planting. The results varied somewhat according to the length of time that the cut sets remained unplanted, but on the whole indicated no marked difference in productiveness between planting freshly cut pieces and those that had been cut for a week or less. The investigations of Kraus and of Wollny in Germany led to the conclusion that a slight wilting of the seed pieces increased the yield on moist soils and in wet seasons, but reduced it on soils not retentive of water and in dry seasons. On the whole it appears that the storing of cut pieces for several days, which sometimes becomes necessary, is attended with no great disadvantages. Of course due care should be taken in such instances to prevent heating, and it may be well to dust the cuttings with gypsum (land plaster) to prevent excessive wilting. _Seed End v. Stem End._--When potatoes are cut in half through their smaller diameter there is a seed or bud end more or less crowded with eyes and a stem or butt end on which there are few eyes. Experiments to determine the relative values of cuttings from the stem end and from the seed end of the tuber have been numerous. The majority of these showed that the yield was greater when the seed end was used. The superior productiveness of the seed end as compared with the stem end was maintained, whether the halves of the potatoes, the thirds, or smaller cuttings were employed. _Effect of sprouting._--The growth of sprouts before planting is made at the expense of the tubers from which they draw their support. Hence if these shoots are rubbed off before planting there is a total loss of the nutriment contained in them. Moreover, numerous weak shoots grow from the injured eye. To prevent these evil consequences of premature sprouting, seed potatoes are stored in a dark, dry, cool place. In spite of all precautions the tubers sometimes sprout; but when practicable only potatoes that have not sprouted should be selected for planting. If the eyes appear dormant in spring, seed potatoes may be exposed to the light and warmth for a few days before planting so as to promote germination and prompt growth. If long exposed, sprouts will form and careful cutting and planting by hand become necessary, so as to avoid breaking of these sprouts. _Quantity of Seed Potatoes per Acre._--A bushel of potatoes (60 pounds) may contain 240 quarter-pound tubers. When the seed pieces are planted a foot apart in 3-foot rows an acre requires 14,520 sets. When tubers averaging 4 ounces are employed an acre requires at these distances 60 bushels for planting whole potatoes, 30 bushels when halves are used, and 15 bushels when quarters are planted. In a number of tests the amount of seed cut to 2 eyes, spaced 1 by 3 feet, averaged 13 bushels per acre, the usual range being from 10 to 14 bushels. In 18 experiments with many varieties the average amount of seed cut to single eyes was at these distances 6.3 bushels per acre, the usual range being from 5 to 7 bushels, though the varieties with large tubers bearing few eyes required considerably more seed. _Size of Seed Pieces._--In the size of the seed piece planted the practice of different farmers varies widely, some advocating a liberal use of seed and others claiming equally good results from small cuttings. To aid in settling this question the State agricultural experiment stations have made numerous tests of seed pieces of different sizes. Taken separately these experiments show certain amount of divergence in results, as might naturally be expected of tests conducted under widely different conditions. However, the majority of these tests, and especially the figures expressing the average results of all available American experiments, may be safely taken as indications of what the farmer, under ordinary conditions, will generally, but not always obtain. The effect of size of seed pieces on yield of crop will be treated here under three distinct heads: (1) On the total yield; (2) on the gross yield of salable potatoes, and (3) on the net yield of salable potatoes, i. e., after deducting the amount of seed planted. _Effect on Total Yield._--In making up the averages below it was found practicable to use the results of 19 tests of single eyes _v._ 2-eye pieces, 4 tests of 2-eye cuttings _v._ quarters, 17 comparisons of quarters and halves, and 44 tests of halves _v._ whole potatoes. The results of other experiments less completely reported were used for the purpose of corroboration. The following table shows the _average_ results of these tests, including potatoes of all sizes: Bushels. Per cent. Excess from use of-- 2-eye pieces over 1-eye pieces 26 21 Quarters over 2-eye pieces 15 16 Halves over quarters 24 18 Whole tubers over halves 31 18 If there are compared all the total yields with the total yield produced by single eyes there appears an increase of 21 per cent for 2-eye pieces, 41 per cent for quarters, 67 per cent for halves, and 96 per cent for entire tubers. The total yield resulting from planting whole potatoes is practically double that obtained by planting single eyes. Thus far there is considered only the total yield, i. e., large and small potatoes, and it is found that the total yield increases somewhat uniformly as the size of the seed piece is increased. The farmer and gardener, however, have to consider other factors than the total yield, for a heavy crop may consist very largely of tubers too small for the market, or the great expenditures for seed when large pieces are planted may more than counterbalance the increased yield. Before noting the gross and net yields of large or salable tubers, resulting from seed pieces of different sizes, it is well to consider the causes inducing a somewhat regular increase in total yield accompanying the use of larger seed pieces. Several causes operate to increase the yield when large seed pieces are planted. The larger the cutting the greater generally the number of eyes and the number of stalks. The young shoot, before it develops a strong system of feeding roots, is dependent for nutriment on the material stored up in the seed piece; hence the more abundant this supply the more vigorous the growth of the plant and this increased luxuriance is not confined to the early stages of growth, but is marked throughout the growing season. Investigation has shown that severing the connection between the seed piece and the growing vine, even after the latter is thoroughly rooted, reduces the yield of potatoes. The danger of partial or entire failure resulting from an imperfect stand is much greater with small cuttings than with large seed pieces. The small pieces with extensive cut surfaces are liable to perish should the season be unfavorable, either through excessive moisture or drought. The sprouts from small cuttings being weaker reach the surface with difficulty, or fail entirely on soil not properly prepared. _Effect on Gross Salable Yield._--By averaging the results of the experiments referred to above, it is found that the actual increase in the potatoes of salable size due to using larger seed pieces was as follows, every increase in the size of the seed pieces being followed by an increased gross salable yield: Bushels. Per cent. Excess from use of-- 2-eye pieces over 1-eye pieces 23 21 Quarters over 2-eye pieces 10 15 Halves over quarters 15 15 Whole tubers over halves 14 10 _Effect on Net Salable Crop._--Before concluding that the largest seed pieces are the most profitable it becomes necessary to deduct from the crop the amount of seed planted. It is plain that the increased amount of seed potatoes required when larger pieces are used may more than counterbalance the increase in yield obtained. The true test of profit is the market value of the crop produced, less the cost of seed planted. Should the quantity of seed potatoes used be subtracted from the total yield of large and small potatoes or from the salable crop? If small or unsalable seed potatoes are planted, then the former course is the proper one, but since large or medium tubers (either entire or cut) are generally selected for seed purposes, it seems best to subtract the seed from the salable crop, thus ascertaining the net salable yield. The following table shows the actual average results for the net salable yield; that is, the crop after deducting the small potatoes and the seed used: Bushels. Per cent. Excess from use of-- 2-eye pieces over 1-eye pieces 15.0 14 Quarters over 2-eye pieces 7.0 15 Halves over quarters 5.0 6 Halves over whole tubers 8.5 8 The amount of the net salable crop rose with the increase in the size of the cutting employed, but when the whole potato was planted the figures declined on account of the large amount of seed potatoes which had to be deducted. The above figures indicate a very slight advantage in planting halves rather than quarters when the price of seed and crop produced are the same. As a matter of fact, spring prices are usually somewhat higher than fall prices. A high price for seed potatoes may make it profitable to plant smaller pieces (as, for example, quarters) than would be economical where seed and crop command the same price per bushel. _Amount of Seed Potatoes._--In the following diagram 100 represents the total yield from planting single eyes. The figures may be read as bushels per acre, if it is constantly borne in mind that there are being considered soils of such character as to average 100 bushels of large and small potatoes per acre when planted with 1-eye pieces. The first group answers the question, "What size of seed piece generally affords the largest yield of large and small potatoes?" The second group answers the query: "What size of seed piece generally gives the greatest yield exclusive of small potatoes?" The third group offers an answer to a still more important question: "What size of seed piece generally produces the largest yield after deducting both the small potatoes and the amount of seed planted?" _Yield from planting different seed pieces, assuming 100 as the total yield from single eyes._ RELATIVE TOTAL YIELD. 1 eye...........| 100 |______________ 2 eyes..........| 121 |____________________ Quarters........| 141 |____________________________ Halves..........| 167 |____________________________________ Wholes..........| 196 |___________________________________________ RELATIVE GROSS SALABLE YIELD. 1 eye...........| 87 |_____________ 2 eyes..........| 105 |___________________ Quarters........| 123 |___________________________ Halves..........| 142 |_____________________________________ Wholes..........| 157 |_____________________________________________ RELATIVE NET SALABLE YIELD. 1 eye...........| 83 |______________ 2 eyes..........| 95 |___________________ Quarters........| 109 |______________________ Halves..........| 115 |___________________________ Wholes..........| 107 |_____________________ Taking as the correct measure of profit the yield of salable potatoes less the amount of seed used, there is seen by the third section of the diagram that with seed and crop at the same price per bushel it was more profitable in these tests to plant halves than smaller cuttings and whole potatoes. If there be taken account of the yield of small potatoes the advantage of large seed pieces is even greater than the figures in the last section of the diagram would indicate, for the yield of small potatoes is greater with large than with small seed pieces. Where large quantities of small potatoes can be profitably utilized, as, for example, as seed for the second crop, the potato planter may therefore use quite large seed pieces with advantage. On the other hand, the higher price of potatoes in spring rather than in fall is an argument in favor of planting quarters rather than halves or whole tubers. A number of investigators have noted that large seed pieces (either large cuttings or entire potatoes) afford an earlier crop than very small cuttings, a matter of much interest to growers of early potatoes. However, some growers have reported that uncut potatoes germinate more slowly than large cuttings. Most of those who raise potatoes for the early market use large cuttings rather than whole potatoes. In this connection it may be said that the seed-end half gives an earlier crop than the other half. This suggests the expediency of cutting a potato lengthwise when halves or quarters are to be planted, thus securing on each piece one or more of the eyes which germinate first. Another advantage of cutting lengthwise is that it insures a more even distribution of the eyes on the several pieces. Of course this system is not practicable when very small cuttings are to be made from long, slender potatoes, since the large amount of exposed surface would render the long pieces susceptible to injury both from moisture and dryness. If it is desired to cut the potato into small pieces the operator should begin at the stem end, and the pieces should be cut in a compact shape, and of as nearly equal size as is practicable without leaving any piece entirely devoid of eyes. There are special implements for cutting potatoes, and their use is reported as enabling a man to cut four or five times as many bushels of seed per day as by hand. The character of the work is said to be satisfactory. No definite rule can be given as to the best size of seed piece, for this depends somewhat on the distance between the hills and on the character of the soil and season. Another important factor in determining the proper amount of seed is variety. Some varieties are able to produce a crop almost as large from small cuttings as from large pieces. _Size of Seed Tubers._--A study of more than a hundred experiments testing the relative values of large, medium, and small uncut tubers confirms the general law that an increase in the weight of seed planted affords an increase in the total crop. The yield of salable potatoes increases less rapidly than the total yield. With whole potatoes as seed the salable yield reached its extreme upward limit in one test when tubers weighing about half a pound were planted; in another when those weighing 4-1/2 ounces were employed. The limit of profitable increase was reached with tubers weighing 4-1/2 and 3 ounces respectively. The size of seed tubers selected becomes a matter of importance when they are to be cut, for we have seen that the heavier the cutting the larger the total yield, and seed tubers for cutting should be of such size that their halves, quarters, or other divisions shall not be extremely small. _Small Potatoes for Planting._--Whether or not to use uncut small potatoes for seed is an important question on which farmers are divided. Some present the plausible argument that the use of undersized potatoes results in degeneration. If this claim is based on the results of experience it should determine practice, but if the conclusion is simply a generalization based on the fact that large seed usually give best results the reasoning is defective, and the question remains open. The potato tuber is not a seed, but an underground stem, and the relations existing between seeds and their progeny do not necessarily exist between a tuber and its descendants. Others hold that potatoes just below marketable size, if shapely and sufficiently mature, may be used without serious deterioration, and that for economic reasons their use is especially desirable, because if not planted or used at home they must be lost or fed to stock, for which purpose their value is usually smaller than the market price. The result of tests at a number of experiment stations have uniformly indicated that small tubers uncut can be used for seed purposes without detriment to the succeeding crop. It may still be urged, however, that the choice of small seed year after year will result in degeneration. On this question the information is meager, but two experiments, extending over four and eight years, respectively, have been reported in which no degeneration resulting from the continued use of small potatoes from the preceding crop was apparent. Although the evidence seems fairly conclusive that small uncut seed potatoes may sometimes be used with profit, it cannot be advised that small seed tubers be selected year after year from a crop which has been grown from small potatoes. Potatoes of irregular shape and injured tubers should be rejected as unfit for planting. _Number of Eyes and Weight per Set._--Many potato growers cut tubers into pieces containing one, two, or more eyes, laying greater stress on the number of eyes than on the size of the cutting. Extensive experiments at the Indiana station and elsewhere prove that of the two factors, number of eyes and weight of piece, the latter is the more important. Of course it is desirable that each piece, whether large or small, should contain at least one eye, and it has been generally profitable for it to be of such size as to contain at least several eyes; but whether it has one or many eyes it is important that the seed piece be heavy enough to furnish abundant nutriment to the shoots which spring from it. A single eye may give rise to several stalks, for each eye is a compound bud or cluster of buds. An eye can be bisected, and each half may then grow successfully if it is not a victim to dryness or decay, to which its exposed condition subjects it. In one series of experiments it was found that the number of stalks growing in a hill was less dependent on the number of eyes than on the size of the seed piece, whether cut or entire. In general, as the number of eyes per piece increased each eye became less prolific in