Potato seedlings for less money in less time

Conclusion

If potato seedlings can be grown in flats, in greenhouses, or in cold frames or hotbeds, in the far South, and can be set with ordinary plant setting machines; if high fertility, mellow soil and cool climates afford an opportunity for both late and early seedlings to give indications of what they are at the first propagation, and if the breeders find that they can just as well discard 99 per cent of all their seedlings after the first propagation, then it should be practicable to grow at least 500,000 seedlings per year. Practically we could eliminate the numerical factor against success.

Dr. Stuart already has considered opening the facilities of such a station, if established for the winter production of seedlings, wherever the promise justifies, to the experiment stations of the country, to expedite their work, and has said that he would leave its stocks in the full control of each experiment station.

With these facts all in mind and just as soon as careful trials have been made, the public relations committee would undertake the job of seeking an appropriaiton of up to $75,000 for the purchase or rental of the best land available and for its equipment with buildings and with overhead irrigation for frost protection.