Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-15
Potato Culture.

growers Will agree upon any oiio y stciii "
culture. Men are very likely TO hold oil.
ferent opinions in regard to the value OF
varieties and methods OF culture even IN
the same neighborhood, and when we take
into consideration the wide variation in
climate and soils, we must not eHpect 'nat
any one system of culture in all its details
will answer for the whole country: Still
there are certain general rules which are
anplicable to ali localities where this
tuber is cultivated, and the better these
are understood by the cultivator the more
certain will be his success.
The potato is without doubt native OF
tropical country, although 1t IS almost
worthless when grown in a hot climate.
To some this appears to be strange anon
aly. but latitude does not always rcgu-
late temperature, and the potato is found
growing wild upon high table-lands and
mountains in South America, where the
temperature never reaches as high point
as it does in summer even IN our more
Northern States. Experience shows us
that the potato succeeds best and the tubers
are of a better quality when grown in
cool, moist climate than when grown IN
one that is hot and dry; hence the supe
riorty of those received from Maine, Yer
mont, northern New York, and in the
same latitude westward.
In the Middle States very early varie-
ties are more valuable than late ones, be
cause the farmer can plant early and
secure a good growth during the cool,
moist weather in spring, and then get
his crop into market before those from
more northern localities can possibly ma
| ture But it has been demonstrated by
| long experience that the potato dcterio-
rates very rapidly when grown in warm
| climates, and frequent renewals Of the
stock from a cool climate are not only
| beneficial but often an imperative neces-
sity. Probably the long time which inter
yencs between harvest ana planting time,
without proper place for storage, has
something to do with this rapid deteriora-
| ton; but that it does take place is we'll
established fact
Knowing that the potato as a general
rule detcriOratcS in climates no further
south even than Delaware and MARYLAND
we ask the farmers Of those regions if they
cannot adopt some system of culture that
shall in q measure check this rapid de
cline. Great heat and lack of moisture
are the two principal causes Of dcterora-
ton, and as a remedy we advise planting
deep; give level culture or no culture at
all, and mulch the entire surface of the
ground. Where swamp hay or straw can
be had cheaply, mulching is perfectly
practicable and will usually insure good
yield Of tubcrs. Very few farmers plant
deep enough; the seed in d majority Of in
stances is not covered more than two
inches, when four to six is far better
depth. Then no killing up will be nee
essaTy; the weeds being kept down with
cultivatOr. Of course the system should
be varied TO suit soil and climate In
light soils and where the seasons are hot
and dry, plant deeper than in those of an
opposite character.
SEED POTATOES.
We know that the seed potato question
is one that has been discussed with each
recurring planting season, and is probably
no nearer a final settlement than before.
Many of our farmers still adhere to the
old-time system of planting whole pota-
toes, and we have no doubt they really
believe it is the most economical and best
way Of securing good crop. We have
often heard men who ought to know bet
| ter assert that it was Just as necessary to
plant whole potatoes in order to secure
good results as it was to plant whole seed
Of any kind. If a potato was in fact
single seed, then their argument might
hold good; but it is not, any more than a
who would think Of planting either of
these whole? Now, potato tubcr is mere
~ subtcrrancan branch with stcm-bear-
ING eyes or buds upon It's surface Just as
we find them upon the branch of a pear,
apple or other tree. If a man takes ciOn
! from a pear tree, he does not think that
the longer it is or the more buds it has upon
its surface the better, but he cuts
up into sections each containing only two
or three buds, because experience has
shown that a few buds, or q short cion i
better than long one. If we carefully ex-
anime potato we fine that it CORRESPONDS
very closely to One-year-old branch Of a
tree and each bud, with a small piece of
the tuber attached is capable, under proper
conditions, Of producing plant, the
same as the ciOn which we insert into an
other branch or stem. If whole potato
is planted containing from twenty to fifty
buds, only a Yer, small number push into
growth; for a few Of the stronger suppress
OF destroy the weaker. 1t is often claimed
that the substance Of the old tuber is
taken up by, and aids the growth of the
buds and new stems This is true, but
only to very limited extent, for as soon
as the buds have pushed half inch or
inch, new feeding roots will be found at
their base, showing that the new plan
provides for selt-suppOrt very early in life.
We need not offer any better argument
IN favor Of cutting up potatoes for seed
than the results Of the thousands of exper-
iments made during the past few wears
with new and costly varieties. where
every tuber was divided into as many
pieces as it contained buds No deteri0
ration from this cause has ever been de-
tected, and to speak from a personal ex
perlence of more than a quarter of cen
fury, we are convinced that cutting up
seed potatoes into small pieces is not only
the most economical system, but the one
to produce the best results. Seed potatoes
are never so cheap that it will not pay the
farmer to cut them, putting no greater
number in each hill or drill than if each
piece was a whole tuber. If there are anv
OF our readers who have never tried the
two systems side by side, let them experi-
ment this season and determine whether
we are right or not.-N. Y. Sun.
DR. RANsOMs HIVE SYRUP AND ToII OR HoNrv
SYRUP, Is not quack medicine. 1t is pre,sred nv
regular physician of over twenty years practice
who used 1t many years with great success in his
large practice for the cure of CrouD Couohs and
.olos among the children, and nearly ali of his
Iames Kept The medicine in the house 10 he readIy
Tor a sudden attack. Only IS cents
CHOLERA MoRBUs is instantly cured nv Dr Nil
Ter Magnetic Balm No person shouId no ,,.;tr1~+