Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-12
CULTIVATION OF THE POTATO.

The first farmers institute for the season.
under the auspices of the Worcester South
Agricultural Society, was held at Brooktield,
Massachusetts,, recently. Mr.. B. B. Ware,
President of the Essex County Agricultural
Society, gave an address on the "Cultivation
of the Potato" He said he would cut the
potato so as to have two eyes to each piece,
and plant in drills ten inches apart, the
rows being 81 feet apart. When they are
one inch high he would use the Thomas
harrow, and also dig with the plow and cul-
tivator, saving all hand labor possible. For
cultivation he recommended as much barn
manure as possible, because that increased
the fertility of the soil, while commercial
fertilizers lasted but short time in their
effect. We must know the wants of the
soil in order for the most economic use OF
fertilizers. We must test our lands by anal
wing the soils, and find what they most
need, not by chemical analysis, but by prac-
tical application of different materials to
the soil. There are three ingredients neces-
sary for all crops, viz. phOsphoric acid, nj
trogen and potash, and these should be ap-
piled according to the wants of the soil to
be cultivated. We must find by experiment
which of these elements the land is weak
in, study the needs Of the soil and make the
corresponding application Of the ingredients
needed. In selecting fertilizers we must
get the pure potash. Fish refuse furnishes
good phosphorc acid and also bones treated
with sulphuric acid. Wecan save one-third
of the expense by getting the pure mate
rials and mixing them ourselves, rather
than buy the compounds in the market.
Leached ashes furnishes one of the best ma
terials, although German salts are the cheap
grass, etc. We should always bear in mind
the distinctive effect of animal and CONNER
cial fertilizers, the former having perma-
nent effect in increasing the fertility, while
the latter is almost entirely immediate and
not lasting. AS to the different varieties of
potatoes, he said the "Early Rose" was once
called the best, and it was, but the "Beauty
of Hebron,"a later variety, was better, and
thought to he perfect, but later variety
still, called the "Early Sun Rise" was still
earlier, and considered better. But within
a year another variety has sprung up, the
pearl of Savoy" which the speaker
thought the best of all, and claimed to be
from ten days to two or three weeks earlier
than the others spoken of. Specimens of
the "Pearl of Savoy" were shown, and they
were pronounced to he the most perfect va
riety now raised, they yielding very large
ly, and being of large and uniform size, as
we'll as handsome in shape. PremdmS
having been offered for the largest yield
from one buShel Of seed, tfty-three c0mpet-
itors reported their results, from seventeen
to one hundred and forty-eight bushels from
one bushel of this variety, with Bowker's
fertilizers. The speaker thought this varie-
ty was coming to the front as the best. He
spoke of the potato rot, scab, and other dis
eases in potatoes. He thought the scab was
not caused by worms, but a fungus growth,
during warm spell of damp, muggy wealth
er. If the rows or hills were far enough
apart to let the sun in, it would tend to pre-
vent rot or fungus growth. The fungus pro-
ducing scab was different thing from the
fungus producing rot. Sulphur would pre-
vent it if any external application would.
He thought salt would not. TO this state
ment, Charles Underwood, of Brookfeld,
replied that he had applied salt with good
results. Mr.. Ware said there was no par
ticular remedy of universal application; for
the quality of the. potato great deal de-
pended on the seed.