EXPERIMENTING WITH POTATOES FROM SEED.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10331, 12 June 1895, Page 4

EXPERIMEN TING WITH POTATOES FROM SEED.

Should farmers experiment with potatoes from seed ? Usually this work is left en- j tirely to the hrgo peed companies, and after a new potaio of superior quality ia produced farmers secure them for their own use. Nevertheless, the work of experimenting with potatoes from Beed is an interesting enjoyment, an<i frequently gives good resu ta. By attempting to raise new kinds of potatoes in this way the grower is led to study the nature of these plants carefully, and when a good variety ia found then he gets good returns by securing potatoes that are perfectly adapted to the climate and coil where they were produced. A small plot of ground and only a little real labour will ba required to carry out a series of interesting experiments. Personal study and experiment with farm crop 3 are quite essential pirts of the farmer's work, i.s in this way they bring to light many points that would not otherwise bft known In ordtrto raise cotatoes from seed, it is necessury to be Victoria will in future have to depend gin with the boet stock. • elect not only thebeßt varieties of potatoes, but tho bopt specimens of the best varieties. Then by judicious crossing a now and superior qua'ity may bo envolved. Plant the oota loss in the beßt Boil, aod with the bea: mechanical conditions surrounding it. Give good cultivation, and gather lho seed balls early in autumn. Lay them in the sun for a few days, and then Hqueeze them out in|to water. The seeds will rise to th>) top, where they can be takon up with a spoon. Dry them thoroughly on a pieuo of paper for about 48 hours, ant] then stow them away in calico bags for the winter. Early in the spring they'shoold be sown in a hotbed in rows, planting the seed sparingly aud not thickly. When the ground is in good condition for working, prepare hills for tho plant, making them about two to three feet aj art In two or three weeks the plant in the hotbed should be taken out singly and transplanted to these hills, and notes should be kept about the action of the plants in each hill. 1 heir habits, powers of strength, strength of stom, time of ripening and yield should all be noted down. At dinner time select only the finest specimens for planting the n-xt saaaon, using th-» notes about the different hilla alao in making tha 8 lec'ion. ±*laot these carefully in hills, and continue the pame system of keeping a careful record. After repeated planting, if tho culture ha 3 been good, some fine potatoes ouzht to be produced, and possibly a now variety of great improvement ovor tbo old, besides a supply of excellent seed for home use.