The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-24
A New Theory in Regard to Potato Planting

Correspondence New England Farmer.
Three years ago we planted a few square rods
to potatoes on the Sd day of July. The seed
planted was somewhat wilted, but there was
vigor en- ugh to give a good stand of vines,
though they were less coarse and rank than they
probably would have been had the seed been
planted upon equally rich soil early in April
The seed rather under market SIZE and was
planted whole. The crop was fine lot. OF very
smooth handsome potatoes, nearly all too small
for the table and too unripe to be eatable. They
were kept in cellar under the same influences
affecting potatoes of the main CROP but while
the earlier lots sprouted, Early Rose potatoes
usually do. before twas time to plant them.
these late remained quite dormant
till late into the spring They also
seemed much less wilted than the ripened crop.
Having neither farm nor garden to plant that
spring gave the late grown seed to a neishbo
to plant and heard nothing more from them till
autumn, when we saw very handsome lot of
first prize potatoes exhibited at the Franklin
Farmers Club fair, and learned that they were
grown from the seed we had given to the grower,
and not the least remarkable fact was that this
was the largest and handsomest crop of potatoes
the grower had ever raised Whether the lesson
proved sufficiently impressive to insure repeti-
ton of the experiment we have not learned,
probably not for it would require the prepare
tion of the seed year in advance, and we are
all, or of US, too busy with the affairs of to-
dav to look very far into the future
Last summer when digging our early pota-
toes. we found in one hill the old potato still
sound, and with tiny sprout just starting to
grow AS a matter of curiosity carefully
planted this old potato which had borne one
good crop, in good soil, and by a little watering
and mulching got it we'll started into growth,
though the weather at the time was excessively
dry. The beetles were fought and late IN the
autumn we had the satisfaction of digging
second crop of potatoes There was but one
tuberl from the same seed. Last April this DO
tato was cut in three pieces and the pieces
planted a foot apart IN the drill near other pota-
toes of the same variety. The prodnct was re-
markable, yielding at the rate of over 300 bush
els per of very handsome potatoes.
and decidedly better than any other
hills in the garden of the same va
riety. From these two experiments we
are led to believe the farmers here in
Massachusetts may yet find il practicable to
plant potatoes late in June or early in July
every year for producing seed for the next
years planting. The experiments also suggest
the inquiry whether Mr. Hersey's larger yields
from small seed during the six years trial may
not be due in part, at least, to the fact that his
small seed was less ripe than the larger seed.
In Aroostook county understand the potatoes
season being only just about long enough to
grow the crop to a good table condition The
winters being longer there. the potatoes are
doubtless planted before they have had time to
waste their vitality by growing long sprouts in
the cellar. The advent of the early rose has
shortened the period of growth of the potato
crop of the country, which saves us several
weeks of beetle fighting, but it calls for more
care in keeping our early-ripened crop over in
sound. vigorous condition for planting the fol-
lowing year.