Gardem.
70L. LXIII
ULi I sC" lyuo
=
INDIANAPOLIS  OOT   24, 1908.
NO. 43
ii t'DCVlCUCe OCD'tUtlllCllt        convenience,    but one difficulty with them
-  that  they  seldom  plant  deep   enough.
THE IRISH POTATO.
A Potato  Rotation.
lst Premium.—In this immediate locality the potato crop is given but minor
consideration. This is a matter of surprise, since, with the right kind of soil,
tliis crop is one of the most profitable that
can be raised in general farming. Potatoes are now selling ou the market here
for from 85 cents to $1 per bushel, and
they have not sold for less at any time
during the season. It may be objected
by some that the crop is a failure, and
so it is with many who planted but a
small patch for family use. However,
where the crop is extensively grown and
conditions for its success were made most
favorable, there is but little cause for
complaint.
The first requirement for a . good crop
of Irish potatoes is a fertile soil. This
is so essential that unless the soil is productive it is as well not to attempt the
raising of potatoes on a large scale. A
rich, sandy loam is a most ideal site. Another matter is the question of moisture.
While potatoes require considerable moisture, yet the mechanical condition of the
soil should be sueh that this may not be
excessive at any time, and a sandy soil
has a more perfect natural drainage.
Much also depends on the crop that precedes the potatoes. Through a special effort to observe conditions and results I have reached the conclusion that
clover sod affords the most favorable conditions for this crop. The tubers revel
i.i the nitrogen that is stored in the soil
by the clover, while the stubble affords
humus and improves the mechanical condition of the soil. A splendid rotation
is wheat, clover and potatoes. Each of
these crops is admirably adapted to prepare the ground for the one to follow.
The sod may be broken either in the
fall   or   spring. Most   growers   prefer
fall plowing where the lay of the land will
ndmit of this. Where it is inclined to
wash, spring plowing is preferable, but it
should be early. The time of planting
depends on the location and the variety.
The early varieties should be planted as
si on as the ground is sufficiently warm
and the danger of freezing is past. These
include Early Ohio, Six Weeks, Early
Rose, etc. For late varieties, Bur-
1 ank, Rural New Yorker No. 2, Mammoth Pearl, Carmen No. 2 and Mill's
Prize are among the favorites. The
Rural New Yorker is a good yielder and
endures dry weather better than some of
the others, but Mill's Prize is superior
ii. quality.
From eight to ten bushels of seed
should be used to the acre. Our plan is
to make the rows about 3M> feet apart,
and to drop a piece every 15 inches. Unless the potatoes are exceptionally large
they should not be cut in less than quarters. It has been amply demonstrated
at experimental stations that to cut the
pieces smaller very materially diminishes
the yield. Before cutting the potatoes
we give them a two hours bath in a
formalin solution, using 16 ounces of
formalin to 30 gallons of water. We
have learned by experience that this is
an effective remedy for scab. It is our
custom to plant the late varieties from
the lst to the 20th of June. If planted
earlier the weeds will make a rank
growth after cultivation ceases. Where
a large acreage is raised, a planter is a
Late potatoes should be planted from
four to six inches deep; early ones may be
pif. nted more shallow. Even where a
planter is used it is best to mark out the
ground deep with a large shovel. When
diopped by hand the potatoes may be
covered with a cultivator and the ground
harrowed crosswise. They should be
harrowed again about the time the potatoes are coming up. This levels the
ground and keeps the weeds down till the
cultivators may be used. From that time
on keep the cnltivation going. Practice
frequent and shallow  cultivation.        We
good yield of Irish potatoes are, naturally rich soils, abundant manuring or fertilizing, choice seed planted reasonably
early, and thorough, clean cultivation.
Taking the crop from start to finish,
there are many other things necessary,
but unless the above mentioned factors
are present, real success is well nigh impossible. That is to say, a large yield
nnd good sized tubers demands the very
test of everything as regards the leading
necessities of the crop.
If for a large field and market crop,
v-hen a number of acres are cultivated
rnd the lana is in clover or is a meadow
or pasture,    it ought to be deeply plowed
The  Indianapohs Market.
had ample opportunity, this season, to
prove the practicability of this method
and were surprised to find the gronnd
moist so near the surface when it had not
rained for several weeks. A shallow
one-horse cultivator is best after the vines
get large.
When the vines become six or eight
inches high we began spraying with Bordeaux mixture to prevent blight and our
crop was not affected this season as it
was last. The weather being very dry,
we sprayed every two weeks. When
the weather is cool and wet the interval
should not exceed 10 days. From three
to five sprayings should be made.
The manner of digging usually depends
on the acreage. For several years we
plowed them out with a large single
shovel, but are using a digger this season.
We may say then that for best results
in raising Irish potatoes, a good yielding
variety should be planted on clover sod
which has been plowed deep and is loose
and mellow; that they should be planted
at such a time, if possible, that there
may be sufficient rain about the time the
potatoes are forming; that the seed
should be treated for scab, and should not
be cut too small; that cultivation should
be shallow and frequent; that they should
bo sprayed for blight; that the seed should
bs? selected from the most productive
hills: and that they should be raised
every year regardless of the price.
J.  R.
Heavy   Manuring: Essential.
2d Premium.—Some of the very necessary conditions to be met in securing    a
early in autumn, and then it should be
liberally fertilized on the surface early in
the spring with good compost manure.
After the manure is spread, disk the
surface thoroughly and harrow or drag
the ground down to a level, mellow condition. It is best not to rebreak such
sod land, but work the top soil and allow
the soil  to remain  underside. As the
crop is deeply cultivated, this well rotted
sod will be brought up and become mixed
with the surface as the crop grows. If
any othr kind of land is to be prepared
except sod, manure heavily in autumn
and plow it under to thoroughly rot. Unless such ground becomes excessively
packed by an open wet winter, it will
not require breaking in the spring. Disk
it thoroughly both ways, and level the
surface with a drag or harrow.
Plant  early. That  is.     almost   any
locality within the great American corn
belt demands as early planting as the
weather will permit. Anywhere from
the middle to the last of the month of
March is what is meant by early planting. If the seed is planted the right
depth, all danger from frost will be over
bj the time the crop is up.
Use good seed of early or medium maturing varieties, and cut to a single eye.
Use large potatoes, so as to g« as much
of the tuber to each eye as possible, and
plant about five inches deep. Make the
rows or furrows quite deep, and three
nnd one-half feet apart. Plant one eye
in a place and drop them from twelve to
fifteen inches apart. Covered deeply, it
is not necessary to ridge the ground during cultivation any more than what four
or five good plowings will do.
Keep the crop clean and the soil well
stirred until the crop is laid by. For
convenience in digging, either by hand or
with a machine, keep down a rank
growth of wild grass or weeds until the
time of harvesting arrives. The best
and cheapest way of doing this is to allow a few sheep to have the run of the
potato field after the crop is laid by. • As
they are light footed, and love young and
tender weeds, they will keep down ■ all
wild growths and not disturb the potatoes.
Dig and market, or store the crop, as
soon as the tops die down. They will
generally do better out of the ground than
in it after maturity, and are not so liable
to be injured by the grub or other worms.
For rapid work in handling, gather the
entire crop, Inrge and small, into the
wagon box, and, with a wooden scoop,
shovel them out into the cellar or bins, allowing them to roll down a sorting screen
that will allow all unsalable potatoes to
■e£<ape  between   the  slats.
Some potato growers argue that it is
best to plant whole seed, or at least cut
cniy in halves. There are serious objections to this plan. First, it requires
too much seed, especially when potatoes
are dear; and, secondly, it causes entirely too many small and unsalable tubers..
There can possibly be more bushels raised
to the acre, but too many will be small.
If only one eye, or at most not more than
two eyes, are placed in a hill, it has been
demonstrated time and again that but
few small potatoes will be found in a
crop, compared to planting the whole
seed or even to cutting into halves. If
whole seed is used, the hills of a necessity should be at least two feet apart. So
IS is both economy and profit to cut the
seed to one eye and distribute the pieces
thickly in rows.
Underdrained Clay Soil.
3d Premium.—A clay loam will be more
sure of a crop of Irish potatoes of best
quality year after year. It should be
thoroughly  drained. Potatoes  do  best
in cool, moist weather, but cannot endure .wet soil. Barnyard manure, scattered broadcast over the land and disked
into the ground before it is plowed, makes
the clay loam an ideal potato soil. Fertilizer drilled in the row when the seed
are planted will co-operate with the manure in making a large yield.
If a home market is to be supplied,
quality, uniform size and smoothness
should be considered first, both in early
and late varieties. If the crop is to be
shipped, the large yielding varieties may
be used to a good advantage. With the
labor and time-saving machinery that
does its work so well, one should grow
enough acres to justify owning these implements. After cutting the potato, it
should be dipped in formalin for the prevention of scab. In cutting, either by
hand or cutter, two eyes give the best
results. Early varieties should be planted deeply, as early as the ground can be
worked, and the late soon after the middle of June.
Fourteen inches in the row, and the
rows thirty-two inches apart, will allow
the foliage to meet, thus shading the
ground and keeping the roots cool and
moist (next in importance to fertility) and
allowing  room   for   cultivation. After
the first rain a sixty-foot harrow should
be dragged over the field to level the
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