SPROUTING SEED POTATOES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8350, 23 June 1905, Page 4

SPROUTING SEED POTATOES.

♦ A SUCCESSFUL SYSTEM OF PLANTING. The success which attended the experiments of the Irish Department of Agriculture in sprouting potatoes for early markets led the Department to consider whether the same method Eucht not be advantageously applied to late or main-crop varieties. In 1903 and 1904 trials between sprouted and unsprouted "seed" were earned out by the Agricultural Instructors for Antrim, Cavan and North. Tipperary, and results, with a description of the method, are published in the " Journal of the Board of Agriculture." The varieties tested were Champion, Flounder, Bruce, Up-to-date, Black Skerry and Abundance. The soils varied in character from peaty to poor clay, but the cultivation, . manuring and general treatment on each farm were the same for sprouted and uneprouted seed. In 1904 similar experiments were carried out in thirty-four centres. The increase due to sprouting varied in 1903 from lOcwt to 3£ tons, and in 1904 from 13cwt to over 6 tons. The increased yield in the latter year averaged 2 tons 13cwt per acre, representing over 25 per cent on the average crop from unsprouted seed, and in only two cases was there a decrease. The chief advantage of sprouting is that a few weeks' growth is secured in the boxes before the seed is planted. Consequently if the two kinds of seed are planted about the same time, the crop from the sprouted seed is ready for lifting several weeks before that from the unsprouted seed. Again, if a farmer has seed sprouted and the soil is wet and cold, or the conditions unfavourable, he may delay planting for a time. Further, on freshly-tilled land the sprouted potatoes make such an extremely rapid growth as to smother the weeds for the whole season. Another advantage gained by sprouting seed, is that the first bud is preserved, and the plant is therefore more vigorous throughout the season ; whereas with unboxed ' seed the first bud when it exists is tender and usually gets broken off. The sice of the box recommended for general use is: length 24in, width 12in, depth 3in. The corner pieces are Tin in height, and sufficiently strong for the boxes to rest one on the top of the other when piled for winter storage. The handle-bar is made very strong and tenoned into the end pieces, the whole forming a light, handy, durable utensil which, with ordinary care, will last for years. The boxes are not expensive, the cost varying from 30s to 35s per 100, according to the quality of the timber and the number of boxes bought at one time. Each box holds about 201 bof potatoes or six boxes hold about lewt. The seed potatoes are filled into the boxes until level with the sides. No earth i« mixed with them and no water added; nor need particular care be taken to have the eyes set upwards. The potatoes are simply poured indiscriminately into the boxes, and left to sprout. If large sets are used they will be one deep in the boxes, but smaller ones may be two or three deep. This does not matter, as the sprouts find

tiAeir way up through the interspaces. When the boxes are filled thoy are Eiled up one on the other to any eight that may be found convenient. There is no way in which seed can be kept more safely or stored in smaller compass. Moreover, it can be examined and overhauled at convenience, should that be found necessary. The sprouts should be about 2in long. If much longer they are apt to get broken off unless very tenderly handled. The Jength of the sprouts, however, cannot always be regulated, and sometimes they may be so long as to touch the box above. There is no actual harm in this, but it is inconvenient and should be prevented if possible. The beat way to check growth is to expose the boxes to light and air. "When growth is desired exclude all hscht. Exposure to light and air for some time before planting is necessary in any case, in order to toughen the sprout and enable it to be handled. When the boxes are taken into the light the sprouts are very white and tender, just as they are in a pit, but after a few days' exposure they become quite tough and do not readily break. At this stage another most valuable use of the box becomes apparent, viz.. the facility it gives for checking the purity of the stock. Among the multiplicity of varieties there are scarcely two which have the same colour of stem or habit of growth. Thu3 Puritan has a white and spindly stem which becomes greenish on exposure; Early Regent has a short, sturdy -stem which becomes bright red; Maincrop becomes purple. In"this way it is always possible to eliminate the " rogues " before planting, although it is a troublesome operation. . Irish farmers, as a rule, prefer' to cut their seed potatoes. This meth«d has some advantages, the chief being the saving of seed effected. The practice is. however, carried to extremes, for three or four sets are often cut from a small tuber. This certainly saves seed, but it greatly reduces the yield. ' . Boxing almost precludes cutting. Of course the seed can be out after exposure has rendered the sprout strong enough to ( be handled. _ This, however, is k tedious and expensive process, and is not recommended. If, however, cutting is desired, the seed should be boxed early, and when a tiny shoot has been sent out it should be broken off. The potatoes, will then bud from several eyes; but it is not advisable ' to cut into more than two pieces. Tubers should not be cut until immediately before planting^ and the cut surfaces should always be "Busted over with air-sl?.ked lime. Potatoes for boxing should be dressed over a IJin riddle. The best results may be expected when medium-sized, well-sprouted and uncut seed are planted about 14in apart in the drills. , After the. boxes have been filled and boused care must Ija taken lest the potatoes suffer damage from frost. It takes a good deal of frost to injure potatoes in boxes provided there are no apertures through which cold winds can reach them; but in case of a protracted and very hard frost it may be necessary to cover them carefully, or in very severe cases to burn one or more lamps in the boxing house. House accommodation is not always easily provided. Boxes are frequently piled in' the rafters of stables and cowsheds, and they do quite well in such places. Other observations showed that dusting the potatoes, when stored, with quicklime at the rate of 71b per cwt preserves them from the v action of disease and also promotes their sprouting, potatoes ro treated snrouting a fortnisht earlier than those untreated. Slaked lime is even more stimulating, but is less effective as a preventive of rot.