Milford chronicle., 1892-05-20
EARM N021~aa''
ExpeA nents in Potato Plant
ing.

Gil. Crandel gives his experience
in the Country Gentlemen as fol
lows
Wishing to satisfy myselfregard-
ing the eject Of various fertilizers
and modes ofapplying the same, !
made number Of experiments last
season on a three-quarter-acre pota-
to patch. The soil was mellow
gravelly loan Of no great richness.
About two-thirds of the piece was
coated with fine barnyard manure
before blowing and the yield on this
part was twice as good, in quantity
and quality as on that not so treated.
First, / planted eight rows with only
wood ashes as fertilizer, four rows
having the ashes covered before drop
ping the seed, and four had the
ashes dropped on the hills after COW
ering. A handful was used in each
hill. Next, / tried six rows fertil-
lied with a compost of hen manure
three parts; gypsum, two parts; and
wood-ashes, one part. This was
dropped a good handful in each hill.
and covered before dropping the seed.
E~tried the same mixture dropped on
the covered seed and covered again
also some rows with the compost
dropped on top sf the ground, and
one row with the compost dropped
directly on the seed and then 'ssl'4
cred. 1 also put in some rows with
commercial fertilizer mixed in the
hill with soil. These rows were care
fully marked and also charted and
described on paper.
The planting was done from April
IS to 90. BY June 1st the eye could
see considerable difference in the
looks Of the field. The vines of the
potatoes treated with ashes alone
were noticeably smaller and lighter
in color, than those treated with the
compost. Those having ashes in
the hill were slightly better than
those with ashes dropped on top of
the hill. l could see no great differ
ence in the appearance of those
treated with compost in different
ways, but decided that the best pota-
toes in the field were those where
the potato was dropped in the ground
and the compost directly on it. Il
had feared the compost was too
strong to be allowed to touch the
seed, but this trial bore out the as
sertion of New Jersey friend who
told me that a similar compost /
dropped on corn in plant ng would
not hurt or Sburn'' the the pla ats, "but"
said he, eff you drop the corn on the1
then the roots will get
burned. The rows treated with COM
mercial potato manure were no bet
ter, if as good, than those treated
with compost. Digging-time verified
the observations as made in June.
The yield of those treated with ashes
was hardly twO-thirds of the same
area treated with compost.
From these and previous expert
nents l decided that hereafter 1
would first manure potato ground
with fine barnyard manure,
it in. Then l would mix a
of about these proportions
Hen-manure, three parts ; gypsum,
,wo parts; wood-ashes, one part
ground bone or potato manure; one
part. would drop the seed in the
burrows first and then drop a good
handful of compost in scattering
fashion over the potato, aiming to
ertilize a space about it of a foot in
liameter. / regard such a compact
IS valuable in keeping away disease,
.rubs and worms. l also think the
gypsum or plaster, quite important
o the yigor Of the plant. For seed
prefer a smooth potato the size Of
. ducks egg and cut once in two :