Show SEED POTATOES SPROUT FASTER IF WARMED UP the bureau or of plant industry ot of the U S department ot of agriculture finds that it pays to warm seed potatoes a week or two before planting R J evana a announces n n ounces professor in as 1 head ie ad of the agronomy department part ment utah state agricultural college experiments conducted by workers rs of the bureau cooperating with tile the various state experiment stations have demonstrated that seed potatoes taken from a storage temperature pera ture of 38 degrees degree and planted without a preliminary sprouting period have universally given poorer stands been slower in starting and produced lower yields than those that were stored at CO 60 to 70 degrees tor for ten days to two weeks before planting the tha seed potatoes that were kept at 38 degrees right up until they were planted did not show and signs of 0 sprouting when taken out of storage those that were removed irom from storage two weeks earlier ani kept warm and exposed to the light had begun to turn green and short thick sprouts afi an eighth to a quarter of an inch in fit length had started tile tho lot that remained in storage until planting time were two weeks longer coming up than those eliat were sero given the warm treatment while those that were warmed up before planting got oft off to an early start some potato growers are now planting their crop and in many cases the seed potatoes are taken from cold storage shipped directly to the farms arms and are planted perhaps within two days after being taken out of storage during this short time the warmth scarcely reaches the middle of the bags and as a result the cold potatoes go di artly into inlo col cold d soil and lie dor mant ant for or several days or until the ground gets warm enough 1 ig calls the seed to cpr sprout ant it I 1 war warnita niia houses equipped with stoves ni plenty of 0 windows could be provid cd also means ot of keeping the air i iq the houses fairly moist then it n potatoes are spread so that tha would be exposed posed to the I 1 light ight the 0 o 7 r several days better stands and layt ar er yields would usually te be the te suit stilt these experiments have bid bees conducted over and over gain again so that it Is a safe conclusion tb tint warming up the seed potatoes potato is i paying proposition when seed potatoes have beel kept at a temperature of 0 48 g or r it degrees there is not so great al a nert tor for giving them the warming n treatment but where the eyes art K perfectly dormant with no sign d sprouting a few days in the ing room will greatly hasten th growth of the sterns stems after pia plant liti li potatoes that are taken dl eal tal out ot o t colder or even cool at storia or age and planted are more liable f to 0 tot lot in the ground than those that n given tile the warming up treat treatment meat |