The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-10-10
A Be I ON POTATOES,
ye.r,, -oo sashels Raised on
0ze a
The Advantage OF the y.
ssstern rested by New
Agricultural Editor.


: kswai Ncw Toxssr. conducts an sx-
r psrimsntal farm in the Interest Of hi.
Irarer at River Edge. \. J. Here he
tsas grown and tested aiI manner of
farm crops and garden plants. and
icondncte1 many experiments in the
} way Of different methods ofcaltiyat;or.
/, OF recent years he has obtained IN
usually large Yields OF potatoes BY a
method az culture now known IS the
French system. and all Of these large
crops have been grown on 4 special
! plot OF land which has been cropped
with potatoes every year for the past
tsslve years Last winter Mr. Car
man wsgered $50 that he would raise
potstees this season. on part Of this
special riot OF ground. at the rate Of
more than 10 bushels 30 the acre. let
| the season re favorable On ansayorabie.
This was done 10 show the possibilities
of profitable potato culture BY the
French system and its superiority
| over the ordinary method new prac-
ticed by farmers.
Mr. Wilmer Atkuson. editor 81 the
Perm Journal. of Pkisadelpfia. ar-ept-
ed the wager Of sra, the loser 10
pay the money TO ssnle charitable |
an 1sution 10 be name2 bv the judges |
The contest plot of ground Is Level
and the soil ioamy, inciTfesi to clayey, |
very good, apparently, and well l
draineas During the asf twelve 1
years il has received occasional dress
ings of barnyard manure, averaging
about four tons year per asre; also
literal supplies of potato fertilizer,
say at the rate of 1900 pounds per acre
i year. Now and again lime kainit.
raw bone Hour, and wood ashes n linn
tied quantity have also been applied.
In the French system the drills are
opened in the form OF trenches II
inches wide. and not in the way of
simple burrows. as We usually prepare
ground for potato planting. In this
case the trenches are opened Is inches
wide and o inches deep and feet
apart. measuring from middle TO mid
lie. Potato fertilizer at the rate of
so lbs. TO the acre, was then strewn
in the bottom of the trenches, about
two inches deep OF loose soil
drawn in over this. and all mixed
together by drawing a HexameF hoe
along in the trench The potato sets
were then planted foot apart. Two
at4Atit~ AEG3 Va ellt Wa-- NAV "a - WV
the sets. and potato fertilizer, al the
rate of $50 pounds to the acre, strewn
over this and mixed a before. Also
powdered sulphur, at the rate OF 40
pounds 10 the acre, was sown in the
trenches. which were then filled up
level. The sulphur was used as a
prevention against wire worms, which. |
Mr. Carman asserts, is the cause OF
scab on the potatoes in his soil. The
sets were mostly medium-sized pota-
toes cut in halves, each half having
two or three good eyes. Summer care
consisted in Keeping the ground clean.
The drills were not killed. up, but kept
level. shallow cultivation was prac-
ticed. Paris green and plaster were
used against the potato beetle.
Mr.. Carman's theory about these
trenches Is that they conserve mois-
ture and supply welding medium in
which the tahers form and grow with
little resistance. while the roots may
penetrate Mt will the more compact
soil between the trenches. Again, the
rain per etrates the trenches readily.
and Is not shed to either side as in the
old system of killing up. The water
goes nj once to where it Is most
needed.
The contest plot was planted on
April 20. Three kinds OF Seeding
raised by Mr.. carman himself, and
numbered respectively, >, 3 and 4.
were grown. These were set out in
rows 50 feet long. OF No. > only one
row was planted, and of Nos. 5 and 4
tyo rows OF each were planted, the
FIVE rows in all making one eighty
eighth part OF an acre, or one row the
four hunred and fortieth part of an
acre. and so the crop was computed.
The potatoes were dug yesterday in
the presence OF committee OF respon-
sihle gentlemen and expert judges,
who measured the land and weighed
the tubers as they were dug, allowing
80 pounds 10 the bushel. The row of
No yielded at the enormous rate OF
i076 bushels per acre, one row OF the
No. at the rate of 29S, and the other L
row at the rate of 253 bushels per acre.
and one row of No. produced at the
rate of 6S8. and the other at the rate of
COS bushels per ae e, OF all five rows
combined at the rate OF SIS bushels OF
potatoes per acre So Mr.. Carman
lost his wager.
This shortcoming. however, Is partly
attributable to the latencss OF the
sp.ing, caused by the long continuance
OF the snow OF the blizzard on the
ground. the cold. wet May. and AN
unprecedented attack of cucumber
flea beetles upon the potato vines in
July and ADJUST, the vines OF No. 3
having been Killed by this insect pest
as early rs the first of August. Mr..
Carman has used Paris green extended
with plaster. hcllebore and water, bu-
chach powder and water and Gishurst
compound a. insecticides in the case
OF these cucumber flea beetles, but
without the least apparent benefit.
The Judges were DIR. 7. 4. Collier, |
director OF the Agricultural Expert
mental station, Geneva; The Hon. i.
II. Quian, Newark: the Hon. ] q.
Webb, River Edge; Mr.. J. G. VI. Hay
Hand of the Farm Journal, PhIlades- /
phia: Mr. W. A. stiles, editor OF Ger
den and Forest, and Mr.. Benedict
Among other gentlemen present were
Dr. f. If. Hexamer, editor Of the |
dHerioua igrieuitHrisf; Mr.. r. Will
Jams. Montelair; DIR. jos. Il. Ward |
aud Mr.. Chas. L. Jones. Newark. Mr.. |
\. W. Parceil Elizabeth: w. ii. Bow |
ker. Boston: Mr.. John Conover, Peter |
Henderson and L. Y Mape< New