The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-30

sufficient quantity of potatoes so tina,
only choice specimes need be served for
the family. The small, overgrown,
'tscabbv," cut, and inferior ones should
be fed to the stock. BY raising a su-
perior quality of potatoes more of them
will be eaten, and the cost of food for
the household will be reduced. Pota-
toes are not eaten in this country to the
extent they are in the British islands
and Canada, and the cost of living in
creases on this account. The majority
of farmers iii the west pay little atten-
ton to the matter of raising potatoes
of very superior quality. They do not
appear to be aware of the fact to a very
fine potato ranks with the costly lux
uries. They generally plant old and
common varieties on inferior soil, and
give them very poor cultivation. They
harvest them after the late fall rains
occur, and put them in the cellar or pit
covered with mud, and in a condition
that invites decay.
Dissimilar modes of culture will be
pursued in different parts of the coun-
try owing to p%eculiaritics of soil and
climate. Clean culture, however, should
be practiced iii every part of the coun-
try. 1t insures large crops of fine tu-
bers, and renders the work of harvest
ing easy. If weeds and grass take en-
tire or partial possession of the surface
of the soil in which potatoes arc raised
the work of harvesting will be render
ed very hard. and many of the best tu-
bers viii be cut by the hoe or spade in
the attempts to remove them from the
ground. If the soil is entirely free
from weeds and grass, however, the
work of harvesting will be easy and
but few of the tubers will be injured.
The ground after the potatoes have
been dug will be in excellent condition
for n crop of grass. By moving the
potatoe vines to the hog yard or the
compost heap fall grain can be sown on
the ground without any extra prepare
ton. A good crop of fiat turnips can
be raised on the ground from which a
crop of early potatoes has been harvest
ed. In England fields in which pota-
toes have been raised are prepared for
sowing wheat because the soil is free
from weeds and grass, but in this coun-
try it is likely TO be very foul and re-
quires to be treated like g~reensward.
Many farmers practice planting po-
tatocs, when but few are raised, in
hills, in the same manner that corn is
planted, They think that larger and
finer tubers are raised by planting the
| seed in this way. There is, however,
much saving of labor IN planting them
in drills. 1t is much easier TO plant,
cultivate, and dig potatoes when they
are raised in drills than when planted
in hills. The cultivator or light ploN
can be u between the drills, and most
of the work of tending the crop done by
the aid of horses. Much has been
! written during the last few years in IA
vor Of the lever culture of potatoes, and
on some kinds of soil, and especially in
seasons that are quite dry it has been
productive of very excellent results. II,
however, makes the labor of harvest
ing the crop difficult, as the tubers have
to be lifted from the soil. The hilling-
up system renders the %subduing OF
weeds comparatively easy, and the
ridges carry the water that falls during
a heavy rain away from the potatoes
and prevent their rotting. BY raising
the soil on the sides of the drills they
may be kept free from grass and weeds
by mea of Il sharp hoe. The soil in
which potatoes grow should not be dis
turbed to any great extent after the tn
bers are formed, but the surface OF
drills can be scrapcd with I sharp hoe
without injuring the tubers.
The newer varieties of potatoes vii,
produce much finer tubers and more o
them than the old varieties, which al
most invariably show marks of decline
while they are more likely to rot in tn,
ground OF to be covered with scab. Tn,
snowflake. beauty of Hebron, earl,
Vermont. pearl of Savoy, white star
Burbank, victor, Chicago market, AM
white elephant are all good varieties
which have not yet shown signs of los
ing their productiveness or becomin.
diseased. though their merits have bcel
proved and they are so common tina
they may be obtained for seed ut q rea
sonablc price. The soil has much t,
do in causing potatoes to rot or to b.
covered with scab. A tolerablc mos
climate and soil are favorable to til,
production of sound, smooth potatoes
but too much moisture causes them t.
rot. Fresh, rank stable manure is like
ly to cause the tubers to rot or becom,
scabby, while it greatly Injuries tn,
flavor of those that are not diseased
comparatively new land will produce
large crops of potatoes that will be FREE
from blenishes and will keep for man,
months. BY planting new varieties il
new soil a fine crop of superior potatoe.
may be expected. - Chicago Times.