The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-06-03
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
PROPER CONDITIONS FOR A
BIG POTATO CROP.
Tho Right soli--TrainIng Colts-The
n sow's Milk-Continuous Clover
Horticultural Hints and
Household Helps.
For IA big Potato crop.

A black vegetable soil porous
enough 90 push your foot far down
into 1T is best adapted to the growth
of nearly every tuberous plant. and
the potato Is no exception to the
rule. A deep, rich, black. sandy
loan will grow potatoes to perfec-
tlon, but the heavy clays. with close.
retentive soils, are unfavorablc to
potatoes, and they generally produce
crop of coarse. rank, watery
articles, that are not very salable
There are many who continue to cul-
tivate their potatoes on low. wet,
soggy soils, and this fact alone re-
duces the value OF the potato crop in
this country by a. million or moro
dollars. The general average OF the
crop would be increased fully ten to
twenty per cont, If every farmer were
compelled to select the right kind of
soil for his tubers There is nothing
so unpleasant as a watery, coarse POI
tato. while there are very few
articles of food so acceptable as a
fine, well-grown potato.
The first essential. then, is to Sc
lcct the right soil, says the American
Cultivation There is scarcely farm
that does not contain some such
sandy, porous soil as mentioned, and
it is much better economy to use this
for potatoes, and leave the heavy,
clay soils for other crops Nature
has SO arranged our farm products
that every kind of soil will grow some
crop, and it is the farmers duty to
find out the right kind for tho differ
ent soils.
We do not got only good potatoes
on the market, but great many
soggy, moist and waxy potatoes are
sent to the stores, but these, as a
rule, command only the lowest prices
in the quotation column. Notice the
difference in the market reports of
the value of the potatoes. The prices
run all the way from $3.50 per barrel
up to -. % and $3.50 per barrel. In
other words, the poor. soggy pota-
toes command about one-half the
price OF the large, mealy, firm, we'll
Favored potatoes. One section of the
country has the name of producing
the finest in the market. This is due
to the natural condition Of tho soil
and 20 superior methods of cultiva-
ton. The natural conditions of the
soil, however, can be obtained nearly
anywhere by little judicious selec-
ton and artificial drainage
II the soil is not in the right con-
dition, work it well. Drain it first,
and then pillow and harrow, and keep
it in good cultivation all through the
growing year. Form bitches all
around it so that the water will run
off. Grow the potatoes every year,
and never go out of the business. for
it Is a paying one. Simply rotate
with crops. and this will tend to
break the soil up more and prepare
1t better for the potatoes. Glover is
very essential crop for rotation
with potatoes. The deep roots of
the clover penetrate far down into
the soil, and form natural drainage
channels in il. If clover is grown on
the potato lots every third or fourth
year there will be needed scarcely
any other drainage. In this way we
can make good potato soil out of tho
very poor and unfavorable soil II
takes time and labor, but it pays in
the end