Show THROW LIGHT ON POTATO GROWING information regarding one or of Ameri americas cals largest endmost and most distinctive crops MANY QUESTIONS ARE ASKED bureau of plant industry has con ducted series of experiments rn tuber growth of much inter est to growers by the tha states Depar department departs tm nt I 1 ot of aarli 11 how 0 W do p potatoes 0 t agoes grow glow why do sonie some vines produce many tubers and others only a few do big pieces produce better potatoes than alian small pieces when does the tuber begin to form when does moisture have leave the most effect on the alie production of potatoes what is the relation ot of soil to potato production experiments conducted these nie me a few among many questions which have been asked about the growth and yield of Amer americas lens largest and most distinctive crops rop and which former observers have been able to answer only incompletely the bureau of plant industry united states department part ment of agriculture lias has conducted A a series of experiments in III potato growth the results of which are published in department bulle bulletin tin ds development of tubers in the potato which las as just been issued the information contained Is of interest not only to tile plant gist but also to the practical grower as a knowledge of tile the relation of the setting and will subsequent sequent development of tubers of the ifie potato may to a ertain extent be put to practical use tuber formation it was found be ti fani in general at about the end of tile hie ot of flower bud development il though this Is not in all cases an exact criterion experiments showed that the number as well as the size of potatoes pOtatO CS in a hill increased for several weeks after the first potatoes vere nere large enough to dig A small increase in the weight of tubers was found to occur even after the vines had been killed by frost the maximum rate race of growth of the tubers was found to occur about the last of au i trust gust or first of september which was kp proximately 80 60 days otter after planting g an interesting development 0 of the experiments was that the number and weight of tubers per hill were found to be influenced hy by the size and the kind of seed planted whole potatoes potato eq used as seed yielded heavier than half potatoes and these more than quarters and the larger the seed piece the greater the yield per hill A whole potato used as seed yielded more than a half or quarter potato of equal weight tile the experiments that alpar witly light soil are better for potatoes than heavy soils the lowest production of tubers with respect to I 1 4 harvesting potatoes both number and weight per hill was on the heaviest soil the highest mim numbers and yields were produced on the alie lightest test soil the department thinks it possible however vint these results might be modified somewhat under different climate conditions resulted in increase two year with irrigation indicate ca te that tile the early application of water before tuber formation had started resulted in tin an Ine increase rense inace inline number of tubers as well as in the weight per hill late irrigation actually increased the weight but made little difference ference in the nin number litber of tubers per hill the irrigation experiments were not carried to a final conclusion but indicate that each application of water at almost anny period in it the alie growth of the plant provided excessive quantities are not used may be expected to produce an Ine increase in the weight of the crop but that little or no increase in the number of tubers Is lukei ke ly to result front from irrigation fitter after tuber formation la Is well started the bulletin contains an Inte Interest ln description of the tuber bearing parts of potatoes and their method or of i growth it may ht he obtained fr on nn I 1 request n to the division of publications united states department of 0 |