Nebraska advertiser., 1872-04-18
Raising Potatoes Under Straw.

One of the most convenient anC
successful methods of raising pota
toes, especially in cottage gardens, ol
on small lots for private use, Is by
planting under a heavy covering o.
straw or old litter, as practiced a. the
south, where the potatoes cannot be
well grown without some such pro-
lection from the extreme heat Of the
sun. This method l have practiced
Tor years, and / know that il is prac-
ticed to a large extent both in New
York and Ohio, with great satisfac-
tion and profit.
The plan is this: dig trenches OF
open deep furrows with the plOw,
four feet apart, using heavy two
horse p!ow twice, in the same furrow,
so as 10 open il at least six or eight
inches deep. Drop yoaE seed at the
usual distance IT the bottom of this
deep furrow. Then throw upon the
seed such manure 81 you Intend 10
use; well rOtted stable manure, COW
dung and rotted sod being best, with
lime and ashes applied 10 the peat III
compost before mixing with the ma
nure. If you drill the manure and
compost with a cart, the wheels will
cover the seed sufficiently; If not,
cover the seed with about one inch OF
soil. Now fill the entire furrOw
or trench with long straw, old litter,
refuse hay, river wash, &c, covering
the seed six or eight inches deep with
such material. The vines will fad
their way through foot OF them.
- soon Us the vines are well up,
and the weeds have begun 10 start,
plow or hoe the earth 10 the vines a
little, so as TO kill the weeds, and this
Is al the cultivation they need. Ii
you choose To run the cultivatOr two
or three times through the rows, or
use the hoe freely, IL viii OF coGse
do some good: or if you have an a.
bundance Of litter and che Ose 10 COW
er the space between the rows with
straw, so a. 10 smother the weeds,
such mu ching viii be of great SER
vice, especially Ia Z dry season. In
:he south they are compelled to cover
Tie whole surface with straw, but |
nave not fou-d il necessary 10 do 50
in Pennsylvania.
The result OF this method OF grow
ing potatoes is this: You always get
an abundant crop OF large, sound,
handsome potatoes, no matter how
dry the season may be, with very lit
tie labor in the cultivation, and have
your soil in admirable condition for
any crop requiring good carbOnace-
ous loan. Few or no potatoes grow
outside Of the drill or trench, and
nearly all are o! the largest size; this
il an excellent method OF planting a.
it insures a crop. / think market
gardne-s viii find il to pay. Is the
cost ef the straw is cOunterUalanced
by the saving OF labor in cultivation,
the value Of the straw on the land.
and the certainty Of heavy saleable
crop.
! have a large patch of potatoes
this season planted in this manner,
and patch of equal size along side,
planted in the usual manner, and
will perhaps report the result liz an
other number of your paper. At
present L viii only say, that the size
and show OF product Oh the piece
planted in straw, as compared with
the other is truly remarkable.
In reference TO the capacity of the
potato TO grow in straw without
Ioam or soil, it Is said that the cap
tSins OF whaling vessels out Of New
Bedford, Mass, frequently growing
them in crates filled with straw alone
in the South Seas, after being a year
assent from home. The straw is OF
course kept vet, and ia partially
TOtteG @ta:e.