The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-06-15
Irish Potatoes How to get q Fall
Crop.

III ls often the case that success in Ger.
tain branches of horticulture depends
uponapparent insignificant circumstances
which are derived only from practical
experience. There is little difficulty in
producing good crop of Irieh potatoes
from the spring crop, If planting is done
early in thoroughly prepared and we'll
manured soil. The Irish potato requires
an abundance of moisture, and this Is
usually secured for the spring crop. In.
deed this can bo secured independently
of seasons by mulching heavily with
wheat straw or pine straw-the former 10
be preferred.
The principal trouble, however, in our
climate, is in keeping the first crop
through our long summers. They either
sprout or shrivel or both before winter
and become worthless rs food. The
question then is, how to ret a supply for
winter use from our own gardens.
This has been accomplished with ut
most satisfaction by bedding the small
potatoes from the spring crop just as the
sweet potato is bedded for slips In the
spring. When the spring crop is dug,
Gull out all of the'potatoes from the size
OF a hens egg down, and expose them to
light, but not to the direct rays of the
sun, for several weeks. This will pre.
pare them for sprouting without produc.
ing rot. About the first Of August prepare
bed at somo point convenient to water,
and bed them just rs sweet potatoes are
bedded. except that no manure need be
used to force them. Spread the potatoes
thinly-not nearer than an inch of each
other-and cover with thrco inches OF
woods mold or light loan. The woods
mold or loan is recommended because
they will not form crust over the bed
after watering. Keep the bed moist, but
not saturated with water lest rot be pro.
duced. When the bed is wHiered, wet
thoroughly to the potatoes, rather than
give light sprinkle daily, just moislen.
ing the surface.
When the plants appear above the sur.
face @. the ground, take them up with
the potato adhering and transplant both.
II more than one sprout comes from the
samo tuber cut between them and set the
parts in different hills. Have the land
ready and transplant every few days as
sufficient number of plants appear to jus.
tify attention. If the ground il dry
pour pint of water into each hill around
tho plant, using care to cover all moisten
ed soil with dry, to prevent baking.
BY this means fall crop of potatoes
may be grown with as much certainty as
o crop of sweet potatoes. The only diff
Guilty about growing full crop rests ir
getting the potatoes to sprout in time tc
make before frost. This may be done
generally by mulching heavily just after {
rain to retain the natural moisture, bu
with nothing like the certainty of the
plan here proposed. The potatoes plan.
ted for the second crop should not be cut
as for the spring crop Oh account Of the
greater tendency to rot in warm weather
The crop planted as here directed, Is cul,
tiyated i'll the usual way, but need mol
be dug until needed for use, as they do
not become watery as the spring crop il
If left in the ground.
AS they approach maturity, however
and before severe frost occurs, enough
earth should be thrown upon them to pre-
vent freezing They may, however, ba duf
and stored for use during winter if Il IL i
preferred. We have had abundant crop!
grown in this way to supply all needed
for the table during the winter and spring
and to plant for the spring crop for fivt
consecutive years. Any farmer or gar
dener who vii! follow The directions her,
given, may become entirely Independent
of northern growers, both for the tabl
and for seed. The seed might to advan
tage be renewed from the northeast one
in five years to secure earlier maturity
but for no other reason. Those intende,
for planting the spring crop, should b
dug several weeks before planting TO al
low them TO dry we'll, but we have du,
and planted the same day with most sat
isfactory results. The quality Of the fal
crop is far superior to that of those grow
in the spring, and we think, better thar
any we can buy on the market. Souther
World.