The Ottawa free trader., 1869-02-27
:Farm-@aroen -Nousebolo.



I. Eds. RURAL WOKLD: l read in your valu-
able paper very often abuut r.isrg potatoes, kind
Of seed. time OF planting, etc.; but, If am right
never 6ud mentioned that potatoes, after plant
inS. sbould be covered with straw 70 secure
rood crop. In that part Of the country Eastern
part Of N ,dison, Iltl it is very often done with
Svod success. A. q general rule, farmers SOW
mu ,h OF their land-too much in my opinion
In wheat: and 10. of course, they get generally
not much wheat, as was the case last ysar--any
how plenty of straD: although the farmers begin
70 6nd out already that they need manure; and,
In consequence thereof, have commenced hauling
msnure freely into their almost exhausted fields
Straw il still burned off in the fields IA ruinous
practice: AZ 1t was the case last fal-mostly on
Gov pr"ire land, just brought under cultivation
~ Nov, up " this time, our farmers did not pay
much attention to raising good potato crop,
\ sAd when they covered their potato patch with
etrAw, they did it just AS much with the inten-
tlon to save the trouble Of hoeiny and sulnvatirg
me potatoes, NJ in expectation of good crop.
They never pay much regard to the time of
planting; they plant their potatoes in spring,
Just when it is most convenient to them, in
patches of Ons-eiYhtb to perhaps one acre at
aost. They are rather careless in trying to OBJ
tain good seed aud new ,reties; nevertheless,
the farmers who did cover their potatoes with
straw raised better and more potatoes, especially
taOse W10 WsIe pdrItcuIdr III preparing tue ldnu
end selecting good Seed. ~s-
To raise good crop of potatoes, am OF the
opinion tina, the potatoes ought to be planted
either very e.rly march, or rather late in the
!. spring--sbout the Last OF May or first of June.
;, For covering the potatoes with straw-any rotten
straw will do. The ground must be dry and
high wet, fat land wont do--and we'll ylowed
and narrowed poorer land should be lightly
nanured. The burrows should be very shallow
aud together, say two feet or less the pota-
toes may be planted in the turrows at the COM
mon distance and covered very lightly with the
hoe small corn pl"w. A. soon the pota-
toes make their appearance above ground 80 that
they be seen I'll along the rows, they should
be eovereIwith straw to rhe depth of about six
teen to twenty inches, and as possible. l
believe that to harrow the potatoes Lightly bsfore
covering them with straw would be beneficial.
Very late potatoes might be planted and covered
little deeper. Nothing else has to be done then
until fall; then. of course, to dig the potatoes,
: the straw has first to be removed. Some plant
/, their potatoes in this way When the ground is
rtady for planting they walk over the patch and
drop the potatoes near together as they desire,
aud step on them lightly with one foot in walk
Ing, and then haul straw right away to cover the
potatoes. But prefer the first method. New
land, the FIRST year in cultivation and planted TO
potatoes l would not cover with straw.
wish " plant new kind Of potatoes next
spring | think Goodrich for the early and Har.
rison for the late, instead of our Blue and White
1Ary, or Pe.chblows or Neshsnnscks for the
late kind. Do you think these potatoes 70 be
ths most reliable If so. can We get them in
e. Louis seed stores; and at what price per
bSshels B.