Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-03-04
THE FARM AND HOME.
HOW TO CULTIVATE AND
GROW POTATOES.
Newly Cleared Land Is Good Dressing
Poultry - Winter Quarters for
Hogs Farm Notes ana
Home Hints.
Mow % oaltlrate ana GROW rotatos..

How to Cultivate and Grow Potatoes.
As potato crops are almost as profit
able crop as the farmer can raise it
IS well to take some extra work in the
preparation of the soil and in the cul-
tivation of the crop, and ! believe a
great deal more than is generally
taken even by those who make grow
ing potatoes u specially, Successful
growing of potatoes depends upon
three conditions, viz: good soil good
seed and thorough cultivation This
is also true of most crops The soil
should be and must be rich in plant
foods, and also in vegetable matter
4 firm, rich piece of land On which
stock has been pastured and fed il
good and far better than dry, light
loan. or sandy soil. Newly cleared
land is good. Old land long culti-
waited, very seldom produces
good results and the labor expended
in cultivation is far greater. The
ground should be broken as deep as
the soil or bottom lands. eight inches
deep ut least. Harrow and pulverize
1t thoroughly, and if it has been pre-.
viously manfred, let the manure be
worked into the soil think the
manure should be hauled on the
ground before it is plowed, and then
il is better mixed with the soil Mark
of the rows three feet apart, about
four inches deep with shovel pillow,
and II the ground IS rightly prepared
the soil will partly fall back in the
furrow, and will make good seed
bed on which to plant the seed. Now
we are ready 10 plant says the Prac-
teal Farmer. Don't plant what YOU
can't eat A potato too small ID eat
IS too small to plant Select nice.
smooth, sound potatoes; cut them two
eyes in piece; plant them from /! 10
II inches apart, one piece III each
place; cover them the depth ~ the fur.
row or more; little elevation keen,
the soil from getting hard Next be-
gins the cultivation, which should he
lone as soon rs the plants are up 10
oyer them with smoothing harrow
I destroys the weeds that have started
better than a cultirator ana the work
; easier done Use the harrow
again in week 81 oftcner. X
he weeds start When the potato
'lants are four inches high, use 4 cul. /
ivatnr or double shovel pillow Don't +
brow more dirt 10 the row than 4 4
necessary to cover Up the weeds. Ar
er this cultivation, give Thorn II pos.
ibgc COOL hoeingi then III week
T ten days cultivate them again. but
on pillow quite 50 close to tie rows
I the season j. dry, leave the ground
5 level as possible when Won nav.
aid them by; but II il promises 10 i. 4
ret season take q small turning pillow
nd ridge up the vines thcv arc easier
harvest from q ridge. rs the ground
not 80 hard There are no grain
'ops Tia, yield ~ which can IL, so
realty increased ~ high and thor.
ugh cultivation aud mannring or
hirh viii yield greater return for
'rtilizcrs than the potato Cultivate
ten, cultivate we'll, cultivate deep
stween the rows and shallow around
g hills. Every one knows how 10
Z potatoes, OF course a digger 4
st, but II yon have none, plow can
run on each side of the row, and
zen the potatoes can easily be forked
It,