The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-06
Irish Potato,

1t is a question, says the Lire Stock
Journal, whether our soil is we'll adapted to
the raising of this esculent as land at the
north; and yet we are told by a resident
here from the north that he raises just as
nice potatoes as he ever raised at the north.
Again a southern gentleman within three
miles of West point assured us that last sea-
son he sent quite a number of barrels of
early potatoes the last half of May to St.
Louis, for which he received IS per barrel,
and the fore part of June S4. This was a
good showing as the yield was nearly 200
bushels to the acre. 1t is an undoubted fact
that early potatoes of good quality on. the
market early pay out the raiser very we'll
But our own experience last season was
mainly loss and no gain, except the breaking
up of land that his lain Idle for twenty
wears Whether our seed was heated and
their vitality destroyed, or whether the
land was too cold and wet after planting We
know not, but, at all events, the largest
share of them never came up. On one part
of the ground we had few bushels of the
early Ohio of medium sized potatoes, a d
some of these rotted before we used up the
crop When we dug them we planted Il
number of rows on the same ground, and
LllS, Tue Vi OCGOD0As Lb0 VINES iOOh NSlA
and bid fair for crop. We think clay land
with an impervious clay suDsoil is poor
place to raise Irish potatoes unless the land
has been tile drained. Nearly every farm
has spots of sandy land, and these places
will probably raise good potatoes. But
whether raising pot toes for market on
most farms will prove remunerative is per-
haps questionable. There is plenty of land
no doubt adapted to their growth amply
TO- homo Y11arkaf and
stop the rush of northern potatoes to south
ern consumers at a high figure. Every
farmer shu uld raise enough for his own ny
sumption, aud any surplus he may have Will
find a ready market in our nearest cities. If
we can get the hang of raising early pota-
toes of good quality for the northern mar
ket it will prove profitable business. Some
prefer planting in bills three and half feet
apart, and some in drills, single piece
in a place fourteen inches apart. Those in
mills can best be worked, but in drills will
Weld the heaviest crop. The ground, of
course, should be in good condition, and suf-
ficently warm to pfeveutrJtting. Planted
on sunny slopes of sandy la ID would pre-
sent the best prospects for successful crop.
Planting and digging by hand, or plowlng
them, out then picking and sorting IN tne
field, involves much work. Considerable
work is avoided by the use of the Aspinwall
potato planter and digger. Late potatoes
for a nor hern market is not to be thought
of. but for the south they can be sold
cheaper than the northern potato. We have
much to learn about raising and keeping
Irish potatoes, but there can be little ques-
ton that an equable temperature not too
hot or too cold will preserve the potato
south as we'll as north. Let farmers con-
tinue to experiment in pota raising till all
| the knotty points are solved, and we opine
| the Irish potato will find genial home here
as well as elsewhere.