This matter is frequently debated, but, so far as actual results go, there is very little to chose between good medium-sized sets (say about 3 oz. each) and cut sets of large potatoes, as may be seen from the following figures: -

VI. Experiment - Whole Sets Versus Cut Sets - Myatt's Ashleaf

14 of each

Yield.

Total number of

Tubers.

Total weight of

Tubers.

Average Weight per Tuber.

Large Tubers.

Small Tubers.

Whole sets

303

340

643

45 lb.

l.l oz.

Cut sets ..

303

235

538

424

1.2

It will thus be seen that although there was 2 1/2 lb. more weight from the whole sets than from the cuts, and 643 tubers against 538, the average weight of the whole-set tubers was slightly inferior to those of the cut-set tubers. Somewhat similar results were obtained in experiments carried out at the Cheshire County Council's Agricultural and Horticultural School in 1899, as the following figures testify: -

Cut Sets Versus Whole Sets

Average for the Year.

Saleable.

Small.

Diseased.

Total.

Cut Sets.

Whole

Sets.

Cut Sets.

Whole

Sets.

Cut Sets.

Whole

Sets.

Cut Sets.

Whole

Sets.

T.

c.

T.

c.

cwt.

cwt.

cwt.

cwt.

T.

c.

T.

0.

1896

11

4

12

6

7

15

-----

1

11

11

13

4

1897

11

14

11

10

31

19

22

24

14

7

13

13

1898

16

0

16

8.

13

15

4

4

16

17

17

6

1899

12

15

13

3

26

24

5

5

14

6

14

12

Average for 4 years

12

18

13

7

19

18

8

8

14

5

14

14

Difference

-

9

1

-

-

-

_

9

In connection with this experiment it was remarked: "In planting cut and whole sets there appears to be very little difference in the yield. The average returns of sixteen trials during four years with eight varieties show that whole sets give slightly better results, with a gain of 9 cwt. of saleable potatoes per acre, and that cut sets gave 1 cwt. per acre more chats than whole sets; but it was observed that the size of saleable potatoes was larger from the cut sets".