Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-04-28
Raising Potatoes.

things, and probably no old farmer cares TO
be told how to do so simple a thing as he
thinks raising potatoes to be. Yet no one
can go around much without finding that
there are a good many different ways of do
ing it, and a great difference Of opinion as to
which is the best way.
As for MS, after many years Of experience
and experiment, we conclude that there is no
best way" suited to every case aud circum.
stance. Circumstances alter cases." and
the maxim applies to participating, as
well as to other things.
In planting potatoes, after we have de-
cided what varieties TO plant, there are quite
number of points to consider. Among
these are First. How early shall we plant
Second How fine shall we cut the seed
Third How shall we prepare the land
Fourth, Shall we plant in hills, or drills
Fifth How deep ought they to be planted
Sixth, How near together the rows Sew
enth, How many pieces or eyes in the hill 2
Eighth, How shall they be cultivated
Ninth, How shall they be dug Tenth,
When shall they be marketed These ten
points every potato-grower must decide, to
say nothing about manuring, which perhaps
ought to have the most prominent place of
ALL But we will notice that under the head
of preparation Of the land.
T.-How EARLY SHALL WE pLANT2
We can plant potatoes with safety earlier
than we can plant corn, and so potato-pant-
ing usually comes directly after grain-sowng.
As matter of farm economy and con
venience at the busy season this is all right
but considered absolutely, it admits of dis
cussion. Very late potatoes like the Peach
blow, which are ripened with difficulty, re-
quire early planting but with earlier varie-
ties, liks the Early Rose, there is often bet
ter and sounder crop got from late plant
ing. In a wet season, however, when the
rust strikes early, the early planting is the
most successful. For early market potatoes,
we have found that high manuring with
warm stable manure and phosphate in the
hill, and little ashes broadcast, planting as
soon as the land is tillable, gives the best re-
suits We have not found much advantage
from sprouting the tubers before planting.
H-How FINE SHALL WE CUT THE SEED
All careful experiments have concurred in
showing that large, whole potatoes will give
the greatest yield, but that the increase will
not pay for the extra seed. When the
amount of seed is limited, it is best to plant
single eyes, and but one in hill but with
abundance of seed the best results have
been got with pieces of two or three eyes.
Ohe plant in hill is better than more, but
with large piece You get a stonger plant.
III-How SHALL WE PREPARE THE LAND
If you ever pillow deep, pillow deep for pota-
toes they like a cool, moist (but not wet)
bed Fall blowing, on heavy land, with a
second blowing before planting is advised.
The finer the filth, the more numerous,
larger, and better shaped will be the tubers.
Lumpy land will make knobby potatoes.
Potatoes are an exhaustive crop and require
heavy manuring. Fine manure is preferable,
applied broadcast, before the spring plow-
ing In the hill, good superphosphate
will usually pay, and nothing helps crop Of
potatoes ON a light soil more than dressing
of ashes II no ashes or phosphate are
used, plaster is recommended, busted freely
over the rows after the plants are up.
Iv.-sHALL WE PLANT IN HILLS, OR DRILLS
This, we think, depends upon how clean
and rich the land is. If weedy and in low
condition, we would plant in hills, wide
apart, and cultivate frequently both ways,
as long as it can be done without iniuring
the tops. If the land is rich and clean,
planting in drills will give much the best yield.
Wow DEEP OUGHT THEY TO BE PLANTED ?
For early market potatoes not more than
two or three inches, that they may feel the
suns power, and come up quickly. But for
the main crop, on light land, we should put
them at the bottom of the furrow For
making this furrow we use Shares horse
hoe, an admirable implement (made by the
liigganum Manufacturing Company, of Hig-
ganum, Comm By removing the hoes and
closing the side wings a perfect drill may
be made, as deep or as shallow as you wish ;
and, unlike any pillow we ever used for the
purpose, this tool runs steadily, and you can
make straight drills, and at equal distances,
with no difficulty 1t runs so steadily, in
deed, that it hardly needs any holding at all,
unless the land is very stony or rough.
Willow NEAR TOGETHER THE ROWS
The distance of the rows assunder should
be determined by the size Of the tops and
the richness of the land. Potatoes with
heavy, spreading tops, like the Excelsior, OF
Compton's Surprise, require room while
the Garnet Chill, Early Rose, or King of the
Earlies, may be planted more closely. But
on poor soil nothing is gained by crowding,
except small potatoes, If we were obliged
to plant potatoes on such land, we should
put them in hills four feet apart both ways,
cultivate frequently, and hill up high.
WILLOW MANY PIECES OR EYES IN A NIL ?
One plant in hill is better than more, as
observed above. No matter how many ewes
are put in hill, if they are all on one piece
there will rarely be more than one plant, as
only one eye will start. But with many
pieces there will be many plants, with the
result of too many small potatoes So, we
say, one piece, as large as you can afford, in
hill. In drills, we put one piece every
twelve inches, more or less, according to the
growth of top.
WILLOW SHALL THEY ne CULTIVATED 2
just as well as they can be. Weeds and
potatoes do not agree. If planted deep, on
land in fine filth and smooth, one hoeing can
be saved by narrowing with light harrow,
just as the plants begin to break the surface.
1t will do very little damage TO the potatoes,
kill lots of weeds, and give the potatoes a
good start in the race. You cannot run the
horseshoe too often, in potatoes or corn, un,
til the growth Of the crop prevents Then
it will pay well to go through the rows, and
pull out all large weeds by hand.
Ix.-How SHALL THEY BE DuG2
No perfect potato digger has yet been in
vented. AT least we have never seen one vet