The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1885-12-25

80 o"J0j "hCu UHC
moon is full, as then the nights are
lighter, and you could see to do it bet.
| ter.
The distance apart that they should
be planted depends somewhat on the
richness Of the soil and the variety OF
potatoes. With wheat, the richer the
land the less seed we need to SOW; but
| with potatoes, the richer the land the
more seed, or the nearer together we
should plant. On land fertile enough
to produce only $50 bushels per acre in
fair season, with such varieties as the
Rose and Beauty of Hebron, 8 feet to }
apart each way, for hill, and perhaps
two eyes to the hill, would be as good
as nearer; or if in drills, let the drills
be 3 feet to 81 apart, and drop one eye
about every Is inches in the drill. If
the soil is good enough to produce $50
bushels per acre in good season (about
the condition of mine), then plant as
do-rows 81 inches apart, and one eye
dropped about every - inches in the
drill. With the drills any nearer to-
gcther than ibis they can not be work
Ell conveniently by horsepower. The
idea is this: There is onlya certain
amount of plant food available for the
crop, therefore vary the distance apart
(and consequently, of course, the amount
Of seed put in) as near as you can, so
that there will be just about enough
potatoes set to use up all this food in
growing to good mics size If you
plant too far apart (too little seed) the
available plant food will not be all used
up if you plant too near together (too
much seed) there will not be food
enough, and the result will be smaller
potatoes. Try to hit golden mean
Of course, as seasons vary you can not
expect to always be right; but you can
come nearer to it than If yor throw in
the seed without any care or fore
thought. l once thought (ana tried it,
foolishly, that if I planted IS per cent
nearer together l should get % per
cent more potatoes but [ counted my
chickens before they were hatched." |
did not get any more in bushels, and
not as many in dollars, because they
Were not as large and saIs5le, but de.
cidedly more in numbers, and I had
more digging to do as well as hoeing
marking, dropping, etc. The trouble
was, left out the calculation the ele
of fertility. | had been planting
before, as near together as was profit
able for the varieties raised, unless the
soil was made richer. Planting close will
not Of itself bring large yieid.
The old Peachblow had large top.
and the roots spread far and wide. Thes
did best planted quite wide spart. al
though the distance could be varied
somewhat, according to the strength OF
the soil, The Early Ohio is perhaps
the other extreme. The tops are small
and the roots do not spread out uauch
Market gardeners tell me this kind
) ields best when planted very close to,
sether. | ence planted them in the
same lot with Clark's No. l, all 32xl3
inches. and they yielded 80 bushels per
acre, and the Clark's No, !, 250 AL
the seed was cut to one eye The Ohir
should have had more seed in hill, or
been planted much nearer together, OF
perhaps little of both. 1t is uu
doubleday best to plant the pot.toes
near enough together so that, ia fai,
season. the vines shall grow toget hel
like a heavy crop Of clover, entirely
shading the surface. With the verv
early sorts this may not be practical. as
Il ey would be too close together, per-
haps, to get horse between the rows +;