Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-06-08
sris!, ro,atoes-The Late Crop

The season is now at hand for planting
!atc crop OF potatoes; and it would be to the
interest OF every farmerto to grow as large quau-
tity Us his means wi!lallow. They are es easily
cultivated as corn, aud will sell TOR at least as
much any time, bushel for bushel, as that grain;
while the difference in product makes them
tGD or three times more profitable. As large
yield of corn as any otour farmers can safely
clicuatc on is thirty bushels; the same land
vii produce fully 4 hundred bushels of pota-
toes We have net only the advantage Of eli
nate in the early crop, but in the late crop
also; for itmay be dug sold, and used up by
the time northern potatoes are brought to
our matkct-whieh is not until nearly the end
Of the year.
TO grow late crop ol potatoes there need
be no apprehension as to the result, il the fol
lowing directions are carefully observed al
ways providing the season Is not uniavOrable.
Plant from the lst to the 10Th of June, in
rows three feet apart and Is inches in the row.
II farm yard or stable manure is used, let it be
spread broadcast aud plowed in. 1t is too
heating at this season to be put in The drills
hut the concentrated manureS should bc used in
The tuVrow, taking the precaution to interpose
little earth between the seed and the fertilizer.
We do not doubt the excellence OF several OF these
fertilizers, but we kuow Davis Superphosphate
to be first rate, for we have used it for several
years But, whatever the kind may be, put in
not less than 800 to $50 lbs. to the acre, which
would be about lbs. to every hundred running
Yards Do not plant when the ground is wet,
and the weather sultry; the stand will not be
so good. Choose dry day, though the sun
aay be hot, and plant either early in the fore
nOon or late in the afternoon, covering as you
plant This is done by running single p!ow
on each side OF the turrow, thus doubling on
IL. The cuttings should be larger at this sea
son than for Sprlng planting, and we have
found the best way to prepare them Is to cut
the potato lengthwiSe, IRON end to end divid-
nc one OF medium size into four pieces, and
larger ones in proportion. 1t will require about
eight bushels TO the acre.
The Young plants will begin to come through
the ground in ten days. just before they make
theirappearance, 1t Is good plan, aud 4 great
saving OF labor, to take harrow, turned side
down, and drag Ii across the rows, thus level
ling them 10 4 uniform surface. This will look
at first very much like destroying the whole
business, but not a sprout will be injured. In
a few days Il vigorous growth will commence,
and the crop will require no further attention
Till the plants get five or six inches high. Let
the cultivation be as nearly on q level as posi-
be- that the young tubcrs may receive the
benefit of all the rain that fails. Ridge culture
ior the spring crop is advisable, because then
there is tendency TO excess OF rain.
Reference TO the habit OF our climate Is all
important in determining the precise time
Tor planting late crop of potatoes. July
ls always u dry month, in Juno and Au-
gust there is seldom any deficiency OF rain.-
The object to be secured then is to have the
potatoes up before the July drought, though
not in such an advanced state rs to begin to
form tubcrs For the late kinds, such rs the
Peachbiow and Harrison, we would advise
planting from The 10Th to the Goth of this
month the early kinds, such as the Fairly
Goodrich. DykcmaG, Rose, &c, may be plant
Cd a few days later.
ID would be advisable for those intending to
plant 10 set their commission merchlnt--or
rather Dr.. Whitehead, who knows more
about such things than any other man in the
city, for he has made it aspecialty--to order
the seed from as lar North as practicable, SO
that they can be had in time. They might be
obtained from New York in tow days, or
rom Boston (which would be betterl by the
middle OF The month. Seed bought from
stores. which have been on hand Tor several
weeks. have been more or less exhausted by
snroutinr. The object is to get those which
nre fresh, and have sproutcd as little as posi-
ble. They come up better and will make q
finer crop.
Potatoes of medium size are the kind to
order.
We hope no person will feel discouraged by
the thought that these directions are difficult
to follow. There is nothing difficult at all to
those who arc determined to go ahead, and it
should be borne in mind that il anything is
worth doing at all, it is worth doing well.
For all! Irish potato crops, the seed should
be brought from the North. For home con-
SUMPTION we can have nothing better than
those of our own raising, allowing them to be
,lauted SO as TO come to maturity in the latter
rart Of September OF early in October.-P-
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