New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1892-05-18
THE. FARM AND GARDEN.

THE FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE
FARMER.
How to Deal With the Troublesome
Potato Rot--Corn Does Not
Make Bone--A Short Farm
Catechism-- Oyster Shells
-Coit's Feet.
How Ito Deal With the Troublesome
Potato Rot.
Potato rot is one of the most diff
cult disorders with which farmers have.
to deal. No way Of absolutely pre-
venting its ravages has yet been dis
covered. Do what he will, the potato
grower must expect some loss, espec-
tally in seasons favorable to the de-
velopment Of the disease. Neverthe-
less, there are some things which may
be done to mitigate the severity OF the
attack.
For one thing, good cultivation will
be found of great value as a proven
tive measure. Frequent stirring OF
the soil and keeping the weeds down
will enabl7 the young plants to make
a vigorous growth and thus be better
prepared to resist the attack Of the
disease. The same law governs in
plant as in animal life. A man with a
torpid liver is less able to cope with
the assault of fever than one in perfect
health, SO if the potato plant is en-
feebled by the growth ofrobber weeds
and stif1ed by encrustation of the sur
face soil it is in iI-condition to meet
SO formidable an enemy as the rot.
Yet even the thrittiest growth will not
serve as an absolute preventive. tits,
however, Of great Importance to Sc
cure such a growth as a means of les
SEEMING the danger.
When the disease does appear the
grower should be prepared for an act
i've campaign. He must begin to
spray the vines at once with the So
called Bordeaux mixture, and the
work must be thoroughly done and
repeated as often as necessary up to
about the middle Of July.
The usual prescription for making
the Bordeaux mixture is as follows:
Dissolve six pounds OF sulphate of
copper, blue vitriol. in sixteen gallons
of water. Stake four pounds Of fresh
lime in six gallons OF water, and when
the lime is cold pour it into the
copper solution and stir the
mixture thoroughly. If there
are bugs on the vines, the addition of
Paris green or London purple will
serve to dispose Of them at the same
time.
Care should be taken in spraying to
reach the under as we'll as the upper
sides of the vines and leaves. The
date OF the first application cannot,
OF course, he definitely indicated. The
appearance OF the rot will depend en-
tirely on the thrift of the plants and
the character of the weather. 1t
should be watched for carefully, and
on the first Indication of it's presence
the preventive work should begin.
From that time on the vines will pro-
badly need to be sprayed at intervals
OF about ten days, until the tubers
are SO large that it is no longer safe to
apply the poison.
1t may be that there would be no
danger of the absorption of any of it
by the potatoes, but as they are in
tended for human food it is lust as
we'll to avoid all risk in the matter.
If heavy rain should occur shortly
after an application of the mix ture, it
should be reapplied immediately, as a
large part Of it will be washed off, and
it is important to keep the mixture
actively at work SO long as it is need
ed.
By these means it is reasonably GER
tain that even in bad years a fair
crop OF potatoes may be secured.
A Short Farm Catechism.
l. What should be the chief aim of
agricultural effort?
To obtain the largest possible crop
from given area in the least deterio-
rization Of the fertility Of the soil.
2. How may this be accomplished?
By cultivating no more land than
can be well fortified and thoroughly
cared for.
3. What is the chef mistake 81
American farmers as a class?
Attempting to crop larger areas
than can properly be MANFRED.
4. What advantage is there in re-
stricting the area planted?
!. THERE'S a saving OF labor. Q.
there is improyementin the quality OF
the crop in consequence Of more
thorough cultivation. 3. The land is
left in better condition after the crop
is removed. 4. By these means
there is d considerable gain in the
farmers profits.
5. What is the great lack in Amer
lean farm methods?
The failure to keep clear and ex-.
act accounts.
6. What sort Of accounts should
be kept?
They should be as simple as posi-.
bic, SO as not to require the services
OF an expert bookkeeper, yet suffic-
iently detailed to show, when ballanc-