The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-04-17
+ FARMERS COLUMN.
Planting Potafoee.

The potato the past year was a
failure in quantity, on acco,int OF the
great heat. Many tubers were so
scorched that they became @atery
and rank and some very near the
surface, or partially exposed, assum-
cd a green color ai,d bitter, taste OF
the vine, ON account of the poisonous
property engendered by tie rays OF
the sun. Tie remedy is, platit deep,
six or seven inches, for various reas-
ons 1t will permit very early plant
ing-an advantage-securing thus
she seed against the frost, or i. reach
ed BY it, it will permit it gradually
to draw out, which will save it; it
will favor it in a drought, and pre-.
vent the setting Of tubcrs too near
the surface, so that the sun cannot
injure them. Killing eau also be
dispensed with, and only the cultiva.
tor used to make mellow and keep
out the grass, with no danger OF hurt
ing the roots or tubers.
BY putting out early with the first
mellow soil, the potato will sprout
and grow on unimpeded, in the
ground instead OF in the cellar, and
get the benefit of the winters mois-
ture, which, in an early drought, is
OF importance. Particularly should
the early rose be put out early. The
experience here is de l'led and un.
varying, that you can not get it out
too early in case you have mellow
ground tor it. 1t will grow in the
worst OF weather, snow and frost ex.
cepted, and seems to delight in it,
while at the same time other sorts
are at a stand still, thus making it
emphatically what 1t is, an early pc.
tato. Plant close, rather than wide
apart, say twelve to fifteen inches
apart in the row, as this sort keeps
its tuber close together, nest Of
them, and easily gathered. They
would then be of a medium rather
than a large size, which is favorable
to quality, and by putting but one
or two eyes in a hill, there will be
lew small potatoes. Thus crop OF
early rose potatoes can be ripened
very early, and OF superior quality
and yield. But the ground must be
| dry or well drained and as guard
against rot, there should be more
sand than clay in the soil.
Late sorts should receive same
treatment precisely as early. They
will then, 10y being put out very ear
| ly, get the whole seasons growth,
and will ripen in time for dry gather
ing. A potato wants to be grown
rather slowly but continuously, and
we'll ripenea. 1t will then be sound
and solid, of fine grain aud better fla
vor; also more mellow. Rank growth
will give rank taste, and a watery
condition aud less concentration OF
substance.
Experience has demonstrated that
1t is better TO manure in the hull than
to apply broadcast. Better poor
soil with some good fertilizer in the
hill, than rich land, and the best fer
tilizers are ashes, guano, reduced
as special manure for this plant.
Will our farmers who are not in
the secret OF early planting try it this
year? Try it on a small scale il no
other. Put out with the very first
mellow soil, if it IS March; but be
sure and plant deep, not less than six
and better seven inches. When l
say better seven ! mean it, partlcu.
larly with the carly rose. But do II
with all sorts. Do not fear the frost
with the seed 50 deep in the ground.
Put good quantity Of unIeac;,ed
wood ashes and hen dung in the.hill
If the soil is not rich. The ashes and
dung should be applied and covered
at once, as soon as mixed, or else the
strength Of the union will escape,
and that rapidly. Keep out the grass,
keep the ground mellow, and 10 not
hill. Avoid stiff clay, and in no
case plant on wet, undrained SOIL
Country Gentleman.