New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-04-21
Flat turnips constitute one of the best
crops to raise in a garden after an ear
~ crop has been secured. A use can be
found for them in the house as well as
Potato Culture.

Potato Culture.
Every farmer should raise potatoes
enough to supply his family throughout
the year. The supply should be Liberal,
for good potatoes constitute not only
cheap but most excellent food. An
early variety should be planted for use
during the summer and fall, and later
7ariety for use during the winter and
spring. The first should be planted as
soon as the soil is in good condition to
work. Every farmer should raise
sufficient quantity of potatoes so that
only choice specimes need be served for
the family. The small, overgrown,
''scabby," cut, and inferior ones should
be fed to the stock. By raising SUI
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 in 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 condition
that invites decay.
Dissimilar modes of culture will be
pursued in different parts of the coun-
try owing to peculiarities of soil and
climate. Clean culture, however, should
be practiced in 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-
ire OF partial possession of the surface
the soil in which potatoes are raised
lne work of harvesting will be render
ed very hard, and many of the best tu-
bers will 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 a crop of grass. By moving the
potatoe vines to the hog yard OF 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
af tot Ioc I,
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 greensward.
Many farmers practice planting po-
tatoes, 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. It is much easier to plant,
cultivate, and dig potatoes when they
are raised in drills than when planted
in hills. The cultivator or light pillow
can be run 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 level 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. 1t,
however. makes the labor of harvest
ing the crop difficult, as the tubers have
to be lifted from the soil. The killing
up system renders the subduing of
weeds comparatively easy, and the
ridges carry the water that falls during
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 means of sharp hoe. The soil in
which potatoes grow should not be dis
turbed to any great extent after the tu-
bers are formed, but the surface of
drills can be scraped with a sharp hoe
without injuring the tubers.
The newer varieties of potatoes will
produce much finer tubers and more of
them than the old varieties, which al
most invariably show marks of decline,
while they are more likely to rot in the
ground or to be covered with scab. The
snowflake, beauty of Hebron, early
Vermont, pearl of Savoy, white star,
Burbank, victor, Chicago market, and
white elephant are all good varieties,
which have not yet shown signs of los
ing their productiveness OF becoming
diseased, though their merits have been
proved and they are SO common that
they may be obtained for seed at rea-
sonable price. The soil has much to
do in causing potatoes to rot or to be
covered with scab. A tolerable moist
climate and soil are favorable to the
production of sound, smooth potatoes,
but too much moisture causes them to
rot. Fresh, rank stable manure is like
~ to cause the tubers to rot or become
scabby, while it greatly injuries the
flavor of those that are not diseased.
comparatively new land will produce
large crops of potatoes that will be free
from blemishes and will keep for many
months; By planting new varieties in
new soil fine crop of superior potatoes