The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-04-25
Something About Potatoes.

KNOW tne quantity Oh lflsI OF WHO potauooo
that are annually grown in the United States,
In good years the crop amounts to OO,OOOO0O
bushels, and both supply and demand are
increasing at a rapid rate.
| Big stories Of fabulous potato yields are
misleading. When not lies they are apt to
be puffs Of some patent fertilizer. Recently
was published i'll an agricultural paper a
statement that 421 bushels Of potatoes had
been grown from single pound Of seed, the
variety known as the Dakota Red. This, OF
course was very wonderful story, and the
reader naturally looked to see how it was
done. The method of culture was fully ex-
planned, apparently. But reading on one
perceived that this miracle had been wrought
by the use of certain patent fertilizer whose
name kept constantly recurring in the art-
Gle. That was the African in the woodpile,
SO 10 speak. The whole gorgeous potato
story was nothing more or less than an adver-
| tisement of Mr.. Blanks miraculous manu-
featured manure.
The best potatoes in the country are raised
in the western states of the union What is
known as new ground produces the finest
| crops. 1t is loose and mellow, and contains
quantity of potash and nitrogen, which
this favorite tuber feeds on. In the absence
of new ground, however, fertilize plentifully
with well-rotted stable manure mixed
| lightly with wood ashes. II you cannot get
the stable manure, fertilizer made Of bone
dust and ashes is excellent. Spread mix
ture Of 200 pounds of good ashes and zoo
pounds of bone dust to the acre upon your
potato ground broadcast; then plant the po-
tatoes; cover them partly; spread 200 pounds
more upon them in the hills or trenches, and
finish covering.
| The best possible situation for potatoes is a
| strong clover sod upon north western expo
sure so says an agriculturist who has
written a prize essay on potato raising
Plant as early as you can for the early
tubers-as soon as the sun begins to warm
the soil sufficiently to admit of working
The author of the prize essay mentioned al
ways plows his potato ground in the fall
and puts on the manure in the spring. Put
the late paintings well off towards warm
weather. Furrow the ground in rows about
three feet apart and cover four inches deep
The native American farmer is apt to be
| slovcnly in the matter of keeping down
weeds. In parts of Europe the race of weeds
is well nigh extinct in the vegetable garden.
1t makes one melancholy as n sick rat to ride
past many OF our farnl-gardens in July and
see the weed-strangled vegetables struggling
for life. Keep the things down.
The prize potato-raiser covers the seed with
a one-horse share-plow, and cultivates with
the harrow the first time. After that he uses
q spring tooth cultivator.
KIND TO PLANT.
Everybody has his own favorite potato for
planting. Avoid the gross, big, watery
kinds. A smooth, fine-grained, mealy tuber
Is the best. No better potato than the Early
Rose was ever produced, for ell purposes
But any one given variety deteriorates after
it has been cultivated n generation or so, and
new varieties must be found. 1t is said that
the favorite Early Rose already begins to de
cline. According TO some good judges, the
coming potato is the variety known as the
Little Muddy. 1t produces Il larger yield to
the acre than any other kind it is claimed;
an immense yield, in truth. Try some of the
seed if you can get it.
PREPARING THE SEED.
Plant fair, moderate sized potatoes. Many
prefer them cut to a single eye, but that is n
question not yet decided. About ten days
before planting time bring seed potatoes into
the light and air This is a matter of i'm
portance. 1t will strengthen the sprouts and
forward them. Examine each potato singly,
and see that it is perfect, fair, pure and free
from scab or other disease The way to
stamp out potato scab is to plant only pure
seed
Finally, pay no attention to miraculous big
potato stories, Go on your even way. Plant
the best seed in good ground, manure plenti-
fully Keep the ground mellow, and don't
leave a weed in the patch, and you will have
Us good yield Of potatoes as anybody needs.