Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-09
HGNIX, AND RECORD AND FARMER. APRIL 1886
Notes from Experiments In Potato Gull
ture nv The RuraI New Yorker.

Ten years Of experimenting with potatoes
at the Rural grounds have taught us that the
results of the experiments OF one season
must not be accepted as Trustworthy guides
for the next. We do not think that any far
mer could even learn at what depth he had
best plant his potatoes in less than 10 years
consecutive trials, and he would then need
to plant the same variety Of potato and know
in advance whether the season was to be wet |
or dry.
Let us allow that there are 230 good sized |
potatoes to a bushel II we plant a whole
potato one foot apart in drills three feet |
apart, we have IA, 500 hills In an acre, re-
curing, in round numbers, 90 bushels. II
worth so cents per bushel, the seed will cost
about $50 Now, II we cut these potatoes in
Eve pieces, which would give more than one
eye to piece, about II bushels would be re-
quired for an acre-a saving OF S24 per acre
in the cost Of seed. Careful experiments
made at the Rural grounds have shown that
two.eye pieces, from potatoes of rather large
size, will yield as well as il whole potatoes
are used for seed. Experiments made by
Others however, tell different story.
With salt at the rate OF 40 bushels per acre
spread on the soil, the seed pieces rotted in
the ground.
Two-eyed pieces Of Peerless were FIRST COW
cred with soil lightly, then with salt at the
rate Of 10 bushels per acre, then With stable ma
nure, then with hen manure, at the rate Of
80 bushels per acre, and finally with unleaoh-
ed ashes at the rate of 10 bushels 1t was
desired to learn % whether surfeit Of ma.
nure would increase the yield, and (2) wheth-
er the salt would prevent the depredations Of
wire-worms. The yield though at the rate of
226 SO bushels, was yet smaller than the yield
of the same number Of pieces when fertil
lied with stable manure alone. They we're
badly eaten by the wire worms.
Potatoes tested in a rich soil aud shaded
after II M, yielded at the rate Of 800 80
bushels The same variety under the same
conditions of culture, shaded until 2 p. NJ,
yielded at the rate of $40 30 bushels. The
afternoon sun, in this experiment. gave more
potatoes of a smaller szs.
1t is more economical to mix Paris green
with plaster than with water. The water
mixture is never perfect. A tablespoonful
OF the plaster will be needed to render pail
full of water effective, while the same quanti-
ty thoroughly mixed, will do the work for
two pailfuls of plaster. Much of the water
mixture falls to the ground and is lost. What
falls upon the plant collects upon the centre
of the leaves so that the bugs can eat the
edges safely. The poisoned plaster settleB
| upon all parts of the leaves, and the bugs
are killed With comparatively little injury to
| the vines.
1t will be hard to improve upon Paris
green az an inseotcde When properly ap
| piled it need not injure the leaves in the
smallest degree. Mix on an unused floor,
using an iron rake. Buy pure Paris green,
and use enough to impart the first tint of
green to the plaster.
London purple is a powerful insectcide,
but we find that it will not bear anything like
so much extension AZ Paris green. II used
too strong, the leaves are at once scorched.
1t does not pay to try and pick off the first
potato beetles in the hope of saving work
later on. II all the parent beetles could be
destroyed, there would be no grubs, but at
the time of picking, a large proportion of
the beetles will be concealed under the
ground or be creeping about from place to
place, so that it is impossible to destroy them
all. Whenever this work has been attempt
ed, we have still been driven to the use of
Paris green as in previous years so that the
work Is thrown away.
A good sized Peerless potato was peeled so
that but one strong eye was left at the mid
die with a narrow ring Of skin about it, The
design was to plant single strong eye with
the whole potato as seed piece. The yield
in rich soil WAS at rate of SOC &c bushels per
acre. The same kind of potato cut to a sin
gle eye, at one end, with a narrow cylindrical
piece running through the potato, cultivated
in the same way, yielded at the rate Of 2ll
10 bushels.
The quantity of llsh that should 60 with
each seed piece is, theoretically, that which,
without unnecessary waste, will support the
eyes until by the growth of roots, support
from the flesh IL no longer required. Re
peated experiments alone can determine how
much Of seed nutrment may be needed.
Difference in sorts or seasons causing rapid
or slower growth, must be taken into account
in preparing seed.
A. 81 30 hala - pla bod
ashes yielded 1874 potatoes with 7S marketa
ble while ut the rate OF 80 bushels OF her
manure per acre yielded 3i7 potatoes with
only ~ marketable. Nitrate of soda, sui
plate of ammonia, hen manure, coal asheI
and ground bone gave tue smallest percent
age of marketable potatoes. Potash alone
did no good. Dissolved burnt bone which
furnishes phosphorio acid only, did no good
Nitrogen increased the growth of the vines.
which for want of potash and phOsphoric &C
id in the soil, gave no increase of tubers
Complete fertilizers in every case gave an in
crease Of crop.
If you do not know what the potato lanC
needs, apply complete fertilizers till you 6nt
out. ton of potash might be- spread upoI
the land without any result. Plants, like hu
man beings, need a complete food On som,
soils a single element will make the food com
plete, while in others several must be appli
ed. 1t does not pay to experiment upon thu
whole piece with a single elemen'.
Barn manure, aside fran its mechanical
effects is the same as the concentrated fer
tilizsrs except that it is less soluble. II W,
could burn the barnyard manure and pre-
serve its nitrogen we should have what WI
apply as a chemical fertilizer.
Pieces cut from the seed end yielded Al
the rate of lis 90 per acre. Pieces from
stem end with similar conditions of soil and