Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-09-26
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
saving Seed Potatoes.

! 81, about the saving OF the best seed for
the potatoe crop. Potatoes are not in
deed a universal staple, as corn is, and
therefore advice on this subject must
fall on minds not interested in the SUBJ
ject. AS for potato growers, the most
successful have learned the Importance
G this point. 1t is with many the
main secret of success, and as the
Hptatoe crop when it Is large and of
gpod quality is one OF the most proiita-
he that any farmer can grow. it is safe
t9 assume that anything which will
show the way to success in it must be
interesting to farmers everywhere.
1t is too late to make careful selec-
ti9ns in the spring. especially OF stock
wlntered in cellars kept all the time
fat above the freezing temperature.
IL farmer is going to put his seed
potatoes in heaps, let it by all means
be in pits out OF doors, with earth not
only over them, but filtered through
them, so that they will be in no danger
of either whitening or sprouting. No
manure should be used, nor enough
covering to keep them far above freez-
ing temperature. Ii freezing extends
down to the roots no harm will proba-
bly, be done il they are in contact with
soil. AS soon as the weather begins
to be warm in March the pits should
be opened, and the seed potatoes will
then be found as firm and solid MS
when put in the fall before, with no
shriveling nor an eye started TO push
into a shoot. This is condition that
can scarcely be secured by the great.
est painstaking with potatoes kept in
cellars. Nine times out of ten the
potatoes SO stored will be too warm,
and they will almost necessarily be too
much exposed to the air.
After getting out Of the pit the OBJ
ject should still be to keep seed pota-
toes from pushing their shoots before
they are planted. They should be kept
in cool, light room, spread thinly, so
that each potato can be brought for
ward evenly aud with all the sunlight
that can be got. 1t will do no harm,
but rather good, if the sun shines on
them part of the day. The buds will
then turn dark green, and the roots
ut their base will be ready to push out
with the greatest vigOr when the seed
touches the soil. This development
of the eye in the sunlight is most i'm
portant for the very early planting OF
early varieties. The germ may I'm ost
c I've is taken not to break it off in
planting.
Unless the potatoes are to be planted
very early, the chief object of the grow
en- is to retard them as much as posi-
Bile. They will be ali the better if kept
so cool that the eyes are only expanded
to the size of peas or beans if of dark
color. If larger than this many will be
broken off in planting, or else the soil
will not be compacted around them as
it should be. For u fcw extra early
potatoes it pays to take the extra
pains required to plant eyes developed
almost into leaf as they should be.
What is most wanted with these is
extra earliness; but with the main crop
earIiness is OF less Importance. The
chief object with this is to secure the
vigorous start which with good manage
ment will insure large yield and with
out unnecessary expense.
Something depends on selecting for
seed smooth potatoes of good size,
neither over-grown nor very small. If
the seed is selected in the fall and kept
by it-elf, the farmer has his entire crop
TO select from. AS usually kept in bins
in the cellar, from which the table is
supplied the housewife invariably Sc
lects for cooking the best-formed speci-
, mems leaving the rough and small in
the heap. 1t is little wonder that pota-
toes run out quickly when seed is Sc
lccted in this hap-hazard way. Any
thing else would deteriorate either in
! quality or yield under like treatment.
1t will pay the farmer to assert his
crop, or so much as may be necessary
for seed next spring. and to select the
| best specimens. The work can more
easily be done while the potatoes are
being harvested. 1t is far better 10
| plant few potatoes next year, with
good seed, than to put in large areas,
us many will be tempted to do by the
| high prices, and then have the crop
IL partial failure. involving loss of land,
seed and labor in planting and cult
waiting.
No grain crop costs the farmer SO
much to grow and harvest as good
crop OF potatoes. This fact makes it a
risky one. The skillful grower makes
largely, while one negligent or unski!l,
full lOoses heavily. Getting good seed
and keeping it good by careful manage,
ment, has quite as much to do with
success in potato growing as has any
other factor. 1t is on this point that
so many growers fail. They go into
the business blindly and on the impulse
1
to their excited imaginations it seem:
that they have only to plant a large
acreage to reapenormous profits. They
never do. The men who make money
growing potatoes are those who never
become unduly excited. They plan
about the same amount of potatoes
every year, and plan for these several
months in advance OF the time for
planting.
| Securing the Largest Yield.