Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-12
Hartford, VT, Oct. 4, 1883.
NOVEL POTATO CONTEST.
A Crop Which Yielded at the Rate of 1876
Bushels Per A re.

BuSnels fer n re.
The editor of the Rural NetU YORKER
last winter made the statement that If
he could not raise at the rate of over 700
bushels of potatoes to the acre on given
plot in his experiment grounds by what is
known as the Rural Trench system of
cultivation, let the season be favorable or
unfavorable, he would forfeit $50, if any
one would pay the same amount in case
of his SUGGESTIVE money in either event
to be donated to some charitable purpose.
The challenge was accepted by Mr.. Will
mer Atkinson, the editor OF the Farm
journal.
| Potatoes have been raised on this plot
for IL consecutive years. During that en-
tire period it mas received not over 80 tons
of horse manure per acre. The applica-
tons of fertilizers each year have been
| liberal, the average being probably not
less than 1900 pounds (dt that rate per
acre.
The trenches were dug (as soon IS the
soil could be worked) about eight inches
deep and about one foot wide and three
feet apart, measuring from the middle of
each. Owing to the lateness OF the sea-
son, the potatoes were not planted until
April 20. The seed potatoes on April 9
were spread out singly in a warm room,
Strong, warty shoots pushed in few days,
for the most part at seed end. The eyes
ly. The potatoes were cut in size accord
ing to the number of eyes, the object be-
ing to have at least three strong eyes to a
piece. AT the rate of $50 pounds OF Mapes ,
potato fertilizer was sown in the bottom
of the trenches, and was incorporated
with the bottom soil with a HeXamer
prOnged hoe. Two inches of soil were
then raked upon the fertilizer and the
eeed-pleces We're then placed precisely one
foot apart. These were covered slightly
with soil and sulphur at the rate of 400
pounds to the acre, and an additional
dressing of the same tertilizeI at the rate
OF $50 pounds per acre (making in all 1860
pouuds), were sworn, The trenches were
then filled level with the adjacent soil.
The application of sulphur was made to
repel the wire-WorDls which iutesi this
soil and which are supposed to cause
sCab.
The potatoes planted were the Rural
j. New Yorker seedlings, Nos . and !
OF these No were the first TO appear
above ground and to make, up to the mid
die OF June, the thriftlest growth 1t
was then noticed that the foliage began tC
turn black and the stems to turn yellow
AS this variety should not mature until
early September, the cause of this aztec
ton was attributed variOusly to blight, &c
a cold spring, to late excessive heat or to
the sulphur used in the trenches
The real cause, however, was found to
be the cucumber flea beetle, which had SC
perforated the leaves as to cause them tC
wither and die. The No. was attacked
later and the No. 2 still later. Paris
green, hellebOie, buhach, and Gishurst
compound mixed with water were used
separately and together sprayed upon the
vines without effect. the injury by this
fiea-beetle was not confined 10 the Rural
premises at ALL but many fields were more
or les injured in the neighborhood, and
, as afterwards, ascertained, in different
-
states. 1T may be said that the vines oi
No. were killed when the potatoes could
scarcely have been one third grown. Those
OF NO 4, except three or four plants, were
Killed when the potatoes were half grown
OF the No but two were killed. althou Il
all suffered more or less.
Friday, the 2eth of september. every
member OF tie committee appointed t
, determine the yield was present, tOgethe
with some 40 others from various parts o.
u. the country: Among them We're repre-
! sentativeS of the New York World New
York HCr0ld, american IgricultUriSt
: New \ ork sun, Gdrden and Forest
> Farm journal, Peter Henderson, f, Brug
gerhot, President Ward, the Couove
, brothers, William Falconer. w. H. Bow
j. ker w. Hardinge, c. " Mapes, DR.. +. NJ
= HeXamer,, DR.. Peter Collier, P. T. Quinn
> ". A. Stiles, ID. A. Benedict and Judg
j. e. Webb. The ground was CAREFUL,
, measured and found to be ne-eighty
u eighth of an acre. The No. yielded a
= the, rate of GA bushels per acre. No
: yielded at the astounding rate or l07
u bushels to the acre. The No. 3 was com
parative failure, owing to the vines hav
4 ing been destroyed by the flea beetle. Tn
u yield was only at the rate of 276 bushel
a TO the acre. AS this potato crop occupie
Z two-fifths of the entire plot the yield wa
!, thus reduced to below 700 bushels to tn
g acre and the editor lost his money.