Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-11-22
Harvsstine Potatoes.

Farmers dislike harvesting potatoes,
as the operation calls for hard work. a
STOPPING posture is required for pulling
the vines, removing the earth from the
tubers, and for picking them up. 1t is
impossible to keep the hands and cloth
ing clean while harvesting potatoes or
putting them in the cellar. Almost all
the work connected with harvesting
of other field crops Is now done with
horses and machinery. On this account
farmers dislike harvesting potatoes
worse than they did when most other
crops were gathered by hand. A num-
Der of machines have been invented for
digging potatoes, some of which place
the tubers in bags or baskets. Several
of them do excellent work in soil that is
free from stones and hard Jumps of
earth. Where these exist they are like
ly to be collected with the potatoes. If
farmers raised potatoes on as extended q
scale as they do wheat and other grains,
machines for digging them might be as
common as reapers and selfbinders.
Few farmers, however, raise more than
a few acres of potatoes, and where this is
the case 1t Is not economical to purchase
q machine for digging them. A good
pOtatO-digger operated by horses might
be used by the owner of a large number
of FARMS If a price could be agreed upon
for doing the work. It is very likely,
however, that a difficulty would arise in
regard 10 this matter. A uniform price
is charged for cutting and binding grain
and for thrashing it out It is cut at q
certain price per acre, and a charge Of a
certain number Of cents per bUshel is
made for threshing. 1t costs much more
to dig the potatoes in one field than an
other, owing to the kind of potatoes
raised, the method of planting and culti-
waiting, the character of soil, and the
amount of weeds and grass that will in
terfere with digging. For these reasons
1t will be difficult to establish a uniform
price per acre for harvesting a crop of
potatoes. The same difficulty wiz arise
IN liking a price for digging them by the
busheI. The potatO-digger, could, how
ever, be operated for a certain sum per
day.
Farmers vino allow weeds and grass to
grow among their potato vines viii fnd
the digging of the tubers to be hard
work. If the ground is quite clear of
weeds and grass, however, the work viii
be comparatively easy. Potatoes should
be harvested when the ground is quite
dry. If it is not it viii be heavy to
move, and it viii be likely to stick to the
implement employed in digging. 1t will
also adhere to the potatoes, give them a
bad appearance, and cause them TO rot
after they are harvested. If potatoes are
AIKEN out of soil that is quite damp it
viii be necessary to allow them to re
main on the surface of the ground for
several hours to become tOlerabIv dry.
This exposure to the sun greatly Injuries
he eating qualities Of the potatoes TX
)Osure for several days completely ruins
hem for the table. If the soil is dry
md comparative light, the hand hoe is
.s good an instrument as any for digging
potatoes. It should be free from rust
nd tOlerably sharp. It Is better to com
hence digging at the side of the hill and
O work under the tubers than 20 apply
he hoe at the top. The work will be
Iuite as easy, and fewer potatoes will be I
ut. The prOnged hoe is better than the I
ommOn hoe Tor digging potatoes that Z
row IN the ground that contains eOnsid-
rable turf a clean, smooth shovel can
'e used for limited time in digging DO
atOes to excellent advantage. 1t is hard
york, however, to use it long at q time.
n digging potatoes with a shovel, the
irt and tubers should be thrown to
distance on one side. when
be latter viii lie on the surface Of the
round quite free from dirt. II potatoes
re planted in drills, most Of them viii
e thrown out where they can be seen
y the use Of a light plOW. tits best to
0rt potatoes st the time they are picked
p. All the very small ones as well as
nose that are scabby, partially rotten,
Z cut, should be fed to the stock, and
ne selected ones placed in the cellar.
Otatoes are desirable for feeding TO stock
stOre corn becomes ripe enough to
ither. To derive the most benefit from
lem, they should be cooked and fed in
lnnectiOn with bran or meal 1t Is not
ssiEable to dig late varieties of potatoes
u the vines exhibit the appearance Of
peness and the weather is quite cool.
hey keep better In the ground than In
-e cellar.
Dodge City has three brass bands.