Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-05-28

Potato Culture.
Prof Samuel johnson, superintendent Of
the Michigan agricultural college farm, re-
ports bis experiments in potato culture, the
bulletin covering the question Of the amount
Of seed to be used, and a large number Of
other practical points.
SOILS AND FERTILIZERS.
The soils best adapted to the potato are
sandy and gravelly loans. Clay soils, II the
season be wet, produce very poor potatoes,
and they will be much more liable to rot
than those grown on sandy land. An old
pasture turned over or any sod ground is
specially fitted for the growth Of the potato.
little we'll rotted compost narrowed in thor
oughly upon such a sod, to give the plants
good start, will usually give fair crop upon
comparatively poor soil. The potatoes grown
upon sod are usually smoother, less liable to
rot andof superior quality. The application
of fresh stable manure is not desirable on po-
tato land as it frequently results in dimin-
ished YIELD and greatly increases the liability
to rot. Mucky soils in a dry season often
produce a good crop but as they are deficient
in organic matter an application Of leached
ashes will be found desirable to supply the
potash essential to the growth Of the potato.
Ashes may be considered as a special fertiliz.
err for potatoes adding to the yield and inn
proving the quality. They can be used on
the hill or in it. A good way is to mix them
with the earth that covers the seed or as a
top dressing after the plants are fairly start
ed.
PREPARATION OF THE SOIL.
The soil should be thoroughly plowed and
narrowed until it is we'll pulverized and level
ed More potatoes can be grown in drills
three feet apart and from twelve to eighteen
inches apart in the drill than when the
ground is rowed each way and the planting
is in bills three feet apart. 1t is more work,
however, to keep the potatoes clean, and
necessitates more or less hand-hoeing. In
field culture we think rowing both ways and
planting in hills three feet apart each way
the most economical and satisfactory. In
cultivation keep the land free from weeds
and as level as possible Avoid killing up,
because hills heat and cool more rapidly than
a level surface, and feel the effect Of drought
more. Use marker that makes a deeper
furrow than the corn marker The varieties
that produce tubers close together require
deeper planting, or the upper ones will be
exposed above ground. 1t is better to cover
such varieties to the depth of FIVE or six
inches Deep planting, especially on sandy
SOIL is good rule to adopt in potato culture.
SEED.
For seed select perfect specimens of good
shape and of medium size rather than the
largest potatoes, and cut with three or four
eyes on piece. Some growers think II best
to cut the potatoes some days before plant
ing, spread them on floor and sprinkle with
gypsum or land plaster. l am of the opinion
that it is quite as we'll to cut them when
planted. 1t is often, however, desirable to
have the cutting done before the hurried time
of planting. My own experience leads me to
question the practicsbility of cutting to single
eyes and planting three or four eyes in hill.
We prefer one piece with three or more eyes
to less or more seed. The expense OF cutting
to one eye is no small item. II the weather
is dry there is so little of the potato that it
dries up altogether or makes but a sickly
growth. The larger piece has vitality enough
to start good healthy plant.
TIME OF PLANTING.
Some growers favor early planting. Some
seasons the early planted give the best re-
turns, and other seasons the late. We gen.
orally intend to plant the main crop about
the middle of May, and while no rule can be
adopted as to time, we are inclined to the
opinion that in most localities in Michigan il
is early enough
CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING.
II the potatoes are long time coming up,
it ID best to run over the field with a light
harrow. Anything that will stir the ground
sufficiently to cause the death of the little
weeds and break the cTusted surface will an.
swer. When the rows can be seen, with q
shovel pillow cover the rows of new plants
with about two inches of earth This should
be done thoroughly. Frequent cultivation
through the growing season ia essential to a
good crop, and if attended to properly there
will be little need of hand labor. In August
it is we'll to 60 through the fields, each hand
taking from four to six rows, and pull any
large weeds that may have escaped the cult.
vator. Dig as soon as thoroughly ripe, and
when the ground is dry, if possible. Store
in COOL dry place.
VARIETIES.
We have been testing several of the new
varieties for some years. The Beauty oil
Hebron and Burbanks Seedlings are ou-
main sorts for field culture. They yield vel
and are of excellent quality. The Early
Ohio, Clark's No. l, the Rural Blush and the
White Star are good yielding sorts, but they
have not proved equal, with US, in smooth
ness, uniform size and quality, to the two
varieties first named.
RESULTS FROM PLANTING DIFFERENT AMOUNTS
OF SEED ON COLLEGE FARM
The question is often asked, in planting
potatoes, what amount of seed will give thu
best returns in yield and quality. Potato
growers differ greatly in their views-from
single eye to each hill to a whole potato.
am of the opinion, however, that most of thu
tests made indicate that when potatoes art
cut to about three eyes to the piece, and one
piece planted in hill, the yield and quality
will be better than with a greater or lesl
amount Of seed. Desiring to add our mite il
determining this question, five pla.s of pota
toes were planted on June 3D. 1885, of tn,
Burbank variety. The soil was sandy loan
well adapted to potato culture. No fertiliz
ers were used except dressing of we'll -rotteI
barn yard manure, which was plowed under
The plats were put in good condition, row
three feet apart, and potatoes planted egh
teen inches apart in row. During the season
of growth the soil was thoroughly cultivated
and kept free from weeds. The following
notes give the appearance of the vines anC
other items of interest during the growinI
season, while the table gives the number o
plats, amount of seed, total weight of eacl
plat, and per cent of small potatoes.
NOTES ON POTATO EXPERIMENTS.
June 25.-Those from one eye are yer,
thin. Did not come up az well as the others
There are from one to two stalks in a hill
Those from two eyes are larger and not 8,
| tuln, Out not 30 large as those from NOR
seed; from three to five stalks in a hill
Those from three eyes are making gooC
growth, with from five to eight stalks in
hill. Those from one-half OF a potato ar
making rank growth, having tops nearly a
large as those from whole potatoes. Thos
from whole potatoes present the larges
growth, having from five to ten stalks in
hill. The tops are not as rank as some of tn
others; they are very long and slim.
June 30.-Vines from whole potatoes ar
largest and from one eye the smallest
Those from one eye do not spread out 81
much.
July Same as last observation.
July l4.-Those from whole potatoes AM
those from half are nearly the same in growth
Those from one eye are large, but there ar,
only two or three stalks in a hill. The vine
from three eyes are very strong, making Wig
orous growth. Observations were taken a
various times during the season, but Their
were no apparent changes from condition re
ferred to in these notes.
The tables gives the results 30 far as yie
is concerned There was very little differ
enee as regards the quality. The potatoe
from whole seed were not quite as smooth a
those from less amount Of seed. The,