The Russellville Democrat., 1884-04-10
The Potato Crop.


 by most farmers to this crop than to others is probably because there is much strictly manual labor required in raising and harvesting it; improvements in ma chinery have not been so great in this direction as in others, and farmers are not to be censured if they devote the larger part of their acres to crops that can be planted and gathered with more ease than this. However, the fact stands out plainly that potatoes are a profitable crop; and now that there is really little to fear from the attacks of the Colorado beetle, if care is taken, it would seem a wise plan for farmers whose land is adapted to it to cultivate the potato in larger areas. Some sec tious seem to be more conducive to dis ease in the potato than others; butsif a few points of culture be borne in mind there will be little or no fear of the po- tato rot.
 l. Tubers that are not mature when planted induce feeble growth, being wanting in the starch element which nourishes the young plant; hence care should be taken in the selection of seed.
 ?. Excessive fertilizing, especially with nitrogenous manures, causes a too rapid and therefore weak growth of the plant This should be avoided, as such fertilizers are an immediate cause, it is claimed, of fungus growths, which are the prime causes of decay.
 5. Make the location of the potato patch on rather high ground. Low, wet lands favor decay, owing to dampncss. This should always be avoided; and especially should excessive dampness be excluded from the cellar in which pota- toes are placed.
 Without stopping at this time 10 con- si,.er the kinds of soil best suited to the potato, the planting and cultivation, we pass 10 the more seasonable work of gathering and storing the crop. There mi l., be little need of saying much on this po;n. were it not that there arc still many farmers who pay but little atten- ton to this very important part of the W TX Tie potato is not bound to keep from decayiug if conditions suited to bring about such state are present. Som. men go into the potato field just after rain, throw out the tubers cov- cred with mud, and hurry them away to the bins. Of course they rot. Or they leave them exposed at another time to the blistering rays of the sun, which in- jure, them. It is time and money lost in the end to dig potatoes when the weather and the soil arc not right. Men sometimes need to censure themselves more and the weather, the 'sbugs, and the variety of potato less, as some va ricties. seem pred sposed to rot more than others.
 On most farms the hoe and the fork are still the only implements used for digging, though some make use of the blow and in rare instances some patent machine finds it's way to the field. No doubt there will be, perhaps now is, 8 patent potato digger that does good work; but we are not fortunate enough to have seen it yet. But in the use of the hoe or fork much care is necessary not to injure the tubers. Those that arc bruised and hacked mp are on the short cut to the pig-trough, and such should not be put into the bin with the sound ones. Bad company corrupts good morals, is true in the potato bin.
 Different methods of storing for the winter are practiced with varying suc- cess. Some prefer the trench system, some the mound system, and some al- ways make use of the cellar; and in many respects the cellar is preferable. One has the opportunity of knowing what is going on in the box or bin in the cellar, when he can not So easily deter mine the fact in the mound or trench. good frost-proof cellar, under house or barn, free from excessive dampness, and he has good place for his potatoes. But if under the living rooms, wee have this word of caution: Never allow de- caying potatoes, or vegetables of any kind, in fact, to remain there day af- ter their presence is known. Unhealth- ful odors, positive disease may be the result to the family above stairs. Pre- caution is always wise. Cor. N. !. h. dependent.