The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-02-04
HOUSEHOLD AND FARM.
A Lesson on Potatoes.

planting of potatoes leads one to inquire II
there be no means whereby we can increase
the probabilities Of "a crop. Potatoes have
come to be considered most uncertain crop.
Here and there we find farmer with u choice
piece of light clay land, who uniformly pro-
duces Il paying crop Of potatoes. The reason
for the success IN such cases is believed to be
in the good soil, rather than IN peculiar mer-
its of culture II we find one in the past sea-
son who has made good crop, 1t is far to
conclude that his method of planting and cul'
uvating must have credit.
There is good reason for Suspecting that
where potatoes are not planted more than Two
or three inches deep they will TAIL in dry
season. We made four paintings last spring.
The first two OF early rose, were made the
same day, as soon in April rs the garden
ground would work we'll The subsoll of our
garden Is clay, and the soil rich and deep.
Five rows were planted in the usual manner,
in burrows three feet apart, and covered three
we planted five rows, the same way in every
respect and then covered them withr0lted
straw to the depth Of SIX or eight inches.
Now as TO the result:
The first planting made a good half crop of
medlumsized potatoes. The second five rows,
planted same day and the same way, except
covered with straw, made crop of large,
smooth potatoes and very few small ones. The
vines on the first planting dried up month
sooner than on those planted and covered with
straw.
About the 25th of April We planted on bot
tom land, IN the spaces in our wheat where
the shock corn had stood. The ground was
III perfect order, loose apd rich from the trash
and ashes lett after burning the rakings OF the
corn stubble taken of the spaces between the
shock rows. We planted eight bushels OF
good seed cut to two eyes, III shallow burrows
and covered with the pillow. confidently ex-
pectlng splendid crop. The potatoes were
cultivated the same as the other paintings.
The crop PANIED out about twenty-five bush
els of very small potatoes, and many Of them
having dry black rot at one end.
Alongside these we planted three rows, forty
rods long, in shallow burrows, covered lightly
with q hoe, and then foot deep with the
remains Of an old straw stack. The resultwas
no potatoes worth digging, since we could
not pillow them out on accout of the straw. The
weather turned dry soon after this planting,
and the ground had become quite dry before
the covering of straw had been put on. Not
enough rain came for about ten weeks to wet the
straw, and the weather became intensely hot
and dry. The potatoes under the straw were
as dry as II bone two months after planting.
When the time for digging came we found an
occasional hill that had two or three smooth
potatoes In such places the straw had been
very wet when put on. Where the straw had
been very dry when put on the potatoes had
done no good, not more than half of them even
coming up,
From these four paintings the best and poor
est crops came from under the straw. Had we
planted month earlier and got the straw on
before the ground over the potatoes had be.
come dry we should have had good crop,
where by planting late and covering the dry
ground with straw so 1t never was dampened
by the three showers which came between the
time of planting and digging the tubers lacked
moisture. Potatoes require more moisture
and a low temperature than was possible under
the conditions of our crop. At the State Fair
we noticed the finest lot OF potatoes on eXhib-
ton, shown by farmer who was kind enough
to tell us, sub rosa, the secret of that lot OF
early rose being so much larger, smoother and
brighter than any others exhibited. He plant
ed early and covered at once with straw six or
eight inches deep. He claims that he never
fails to raise good crop under straw, and sell
dom fails in his main crop of field culture.
He advocates deep planting and early.
This lesson in potato planting Is, not that
potatoes under straw are failure, but that in
dry season, if potatoes are planted early on
good ground, and deep, and covered with straw
while the ground Is yet damp, a big crop OF
excellent potatoes may be expected. Again,
we conclude that potatoes on good clay land
such as our first paintings were made in, will
make a good crop in seasons and with culture
that will give complete failure IN bottom
land.
A cool, rich SOIL, not subject to sudden ex
tremes of heat or moisture, is better for pota-
toes than loose soil with gravelly subsoil.
We yet have great faith in straw covering as
an equalizer Of moisture and temperature OF
soil about the tubers; but it must be applied
before the ground becomes dry and hot We
believe it is not too early to plant potatoes in
February Or March, If only the ground will
work well. Fall blowing will help IN potato
Cuture-COr. ohio Farmer.
PETROLEUM DEATH ON CATTLE LICE-Ihe
L