The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-10
Experiments with Early Potatoes.

Philadelphia Record.
To secure large, nicely shaped potatoes is one
object of those who grow the early varieties.
This season. some experiments were made with
a view to publishing the result in this column.
The varties selected were the Early Sunrise,
Snowflake and Early Rose, the soil being dark
loan The potatoes were cut to one, two and
three eyes, and number were planted whole.
They were planted at the same time, hoed once
and cultivated twice, the grass and weeds being
kept down, and every opportunity given the
crop for vigorous growth. Some of the rows
were thinned to a single plant to the HILL the
hills being a foot apart. The whole potatoes
were the first to come through uniformly The
seed containing only one, two and three eyes
pushed forward just as rapidly, but not as
uniformly. The experiment. was not con-
Quoted for the purpose of demonstrating
the yield, but the value of certain methods for
securing the best early potatoes at given peri
cd. The conclusion arrived at was that but
! little difference is made by this seed or the
| number of eyes so far as the production of large
| potatoes is concerned but in every case where
| the plants were thinned out to one stalk to the
hill the potatoes were larger, earlier and more
uniform, it being rare to find any small ones in
| the Hill. When the hills were dug there were
from three to four potatoes attached to the vines
all nearly the same size and early harvested. In
all other ca ses the number of potatoes was
greater but consisted mainly of small ones. AS
the sea son will permit of further growth many
of the small tribes may become larger, but. at
the time of harvesting. the yield Of potatoes
from the sin gle vines was greater, by measure
ment, than from those hills containing more
than one vine. Potatoes should according to
this experiment, be cut in two eyes and the
vines thinned to one in hill if it is desired to
get crop early possible
Flat culture was adonted with a portion, while
some were hiiled up Flat culture gave the best
results, but this would not be the case ground
not well diained The Early Sunrise proved the
earliest, with the Early Rose next, but the Snow
fake was of better quality than either, while the
Early Rose proved the most productive. The
fertilizers used were manure, superphosphate,
potash salts and sulpnate of ammonia The best
results were secured from the of equal por-
tons of superphosphate, sulphate of ammonia
and potash. but the soil being very fertile no
conclusions could be drawn as to the actual value
of the fertilizers in proportion to production and
expense, as the crop was not allowed to fully
mature. Manure proved beneficial in every row
| in which it used but in those rows in which
| no manure was used the crop was nearly as large
as the others, owing to the quality of the soil
The thinning to one plant in hill was eX
| pected to give good res ults, even If no manure
was used for the reason that in securing all
| early crops the fewer the number of plants the
| greater the feeding room for each, as the early
| start is very important. slf two plants Of the
! to the other. Sprouting the potatoes,
| provided care is used not to break
| the sprouts, insures earlier growth and
| hastens the crop This experiment will be
still further continued in order to observe the
| difference of yield in the crops when returned
| So far it has been demonstrated that the best
method for securing good early potatoes is to
plant sprouted potatoes. cut to at least two eyes,
| and thinning out the surplus plants after they
| are mp. but the largest number of potatoes
| are secured from more than one plant TO .
! hill