River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-03-21
POTATO CULTURE.
BY KENNEDY scorr, OF COLUMBIA co.

SUI W So4cCl ID very c5ceuIldl clc-
ment in the success of potato culture
as well as in any other crop, and l
think more essential in this than in
most others. While in nearly all 9TH
er crops, good land in good condition
will produce an average crop, it is not
so with potatoes. 1t is necessary to
have what is generally styled with US
sandy loan. and that in good ondi-
tion. After it has been seeded down
to clover, give good coat of barn
yard manure, about % loads to the
acre, pillow early lin the fall, and in the
spring thoroughly cultivate till it is
well pulveTiZed to the depth of four or
five inches, and we'll smooth with
smoothing harrow.
Marking the Ground. -Now it is
ready to be marked, which l do one
way with an ordinary marker making
four marks, three feet apart. To
mark the other way we take an ordin-
AIRY sulky corn pillow; taking off one
foot from each side, fix the others
stationary with rod holding them just
three feet apart, furrowing across the
marks TO the depth of at least four in
ches. / have obtained best results
from planting that depth, using an
ordinary tracer to assist in getting
rows straight and of equal width.
The planting to this depth is neces-
sary for two Teasons--it puts the seed
deep enough into the ground so that
we may get the full benefit of thor.
ough dragging before the young plants
make their appearance above ground,
and again just as they are out of the
ground. This should be done with a
Scoblc harrow, or some other slant
ing tooth harrow. have never found
one that does as well as this. Second,
find If the seed is not put into the
ground from four to five inches deep
that we have a great many potatoes
that grow out of the ground and be-
NOAAAO oAAAbhA hCA ttAA0 hCAA|C SOOu AOl
nothing but feed or seed.
Preparing the See9.-Selecting and
with a great deal of care, as upon this.
in connection with planting, to a GER
tain extent, depends the difference be-
tween good paying crop and an aver.
age or poor crop; if the seed fails in
lis of this it will reduce the yield at
least II bushels per acre. On an aver
age crop this is too much to lose.
The seed should be taken from med
ium sized, smooth potatoes; first cut
the seed end of and throw away, then
cut the pieces SO there will be two
eyes to the piece. Seed should be cut
a few days before planting on account
of becoming damaged from being
kept in pile. If kept any length of
time should be put in bushel boxes.
No RuLe CertdiR.-Mr Matt Ander-
son of Dane county says: Although /
have been growing potatoes in a small
way for 40 years, must confess that
L cannot give any certain rule or
process whereby L can be certain of
raising a good crop every year.
have experimental in various ways of
planting-in planting large potatoes
whole, in cutting in small and large
pieces.
About 40 years ago, in Ohio, plant
ed of an acre in potatoes. The lot
was 220 feet long and so feet wide.
Through the center of that lot, length
wise, l planted one row of large.
round potatoes, whole; on each side of
that row | planted the seed end of
large potatoes, the potatoes being cut
in two; did not plant the stem end.
The rest of the lot was planted with
the same variety of potatoes, cut to
two or three eyes in piece. The
row planted with whole potatoes pro-
duced one. fourth more and larger po-
tatoes than any row planted with cut
tings of two or three eyes, and one
eight more than the rows that were
planted with the whole of the seed
end. This lot of less than acre
produced 70 bushels.
Since that time | have frequently
planted large and medium sized pota-
toes whole, with good results.
would not plant long potatoes whole,
as they would grow too many tops; but
round potatoes grow tops only from
the seed end when planted whole, |
plant from two to two and one.half
feet apart. Early potatoes that grow
small tops can be planted closer than
varieties that grow large tops.
Planting planting should be
done by having a boy drop potatoes
by going across the burrows, putting
one seed in "a place, and man follow
up and cover with a hoe. As to time
of planting. it is best to plant as early
as we can Immediately after putting in
the small grain, as it gives the tubers
the best part of the growing season
for development. While some think
late planting makes less trouble to
fight the potato bugs, give me the
early planting.
CulfirdfioR. Cultivation should be-
gin just before the plants make their
appearance, with a slanting tooth har.
row, and do not be afraid to give the
ground several thorough draggings at
different times till the potatoes are all
up. Then put a fine tooth single
horse cultivator at work, and you need
not be afraid of OVERRIDING this part of
the work, for the ground should be
/ stirred Immediately after every rain to
prevent the starting of weeds: at least
/ it should be cultivated twice each way
with this tool, as by this means you
can ripen the crop from five TO ten
days earlier. The billing should be
done. just as the vines are in full bud
to blossom, with a single shovel pillow