Rocky Ford enterprise., 1893-11-09

section and the father of the town
bearing his name. Mr.. Ordway's
home has all the comforts and
many of the luxuries of life, with
fine piano to entertain musically
inclined guests, and the parlor
walls adorned with oil paintings
executed by Mrs. Ordway and
showing marked talents for such
artistic work. After supper we
drove to town, one mile distant, to
attend the meeting of the Farmers
club, recently organized, with the
most promising prospects.
FARMERS CLUB DISCUSSION.
The club meeting was largely
attended and the utmost interest
taken in the discussion of the ev-
ening. The topic was ''Potato
Culture" and was opened by d. G.
Roberts, who gave short history
of this invaluable tuber, tracing
its origin in South America up to
it's introduction in Ireland to save
that people from famine by reason
of its great productiveness, and
from thence to the New World
again. Mr.. Roberts advised a
loose sandy soil, plowed deep in
the fall, planting late. say June
10th to Goth. Two men and two
teams can care for 80 acres. If
the surface of the ground can be
kept finely pulverized, but little if
any irrigation will be required. If
irrigation can be avoided it is best
for the crop, as the potato has long
roots which reach down deep for
moisture. When irrigated the
blowing should not be done SO
roughly as to leave the burrows SO
as to food badly in places. The
water should be applied below the
potatoes, as it will seep up a foot
above it's level in the furrow. For
the past ten years the average
value of the crop throughout the
state has been $40 per acre. If
only 25 bushels are grown per
acre it will equal the average
wheat crop for profit. Experience
proves that there is every encour-
agement for potato growing in the
Arkansas valley.
Charles Q. Vogan, superintend-
ent of the Greeley farm, was next
on the program. He said that al
falfa ground was excellent for po-
tatoes, but whether its value for
the crop was due to the chemical
changes produced by the growth
of alfalfa, or simply to the loos-
ening of the soil, he did not know.
He would plant late and after the
plants were II or 2 inches high
would harrow the ground, break
ing the crust. Cultivate light and
do not irrigate when in blossom,
as this will cause small potatoes
to grow on the sides of the large
ones. Do not disturb by plowing.
Do not let the ground get dry af-
ter the first irrigation. Some sort
the potatoes in the field, others by
machine in the cellar. Some va
rieties do we'll with level culture.
In answer to questions Mr.. Vogan
said that the Aspinwall planter
was the thing, which would plant
from 8 to Z inches deep. Plant
about s inches deep and hill up.
The potatoes do not form where
you place the seed, but at a uni
form depth under the surface Of
the ground, the root running up
from the seed to the point where
the tubers grow. Would use for
seed potatoes the size of hens
egg and cut. A small potato has
as many eyes us a large one. To
plant n small one whole gives too
many eyes. The pieces planted
should be of fair size as the plant
is nourished by the seed for
time. Large pieces produce a
more healthy plant than small
ones.
Z. Fl. Van Ornam said that oil
the soil in that section of the coun-
try would grow pototoes except
the bottom lands. Last year he
raised 200 bushels per acre, ard
this year his crop was in quality
fully equal to Greeley potatoes.
He would plant June 10th. There
was difference of opinion as to
cutting for seed. He would plant
800 pounds per acre. He did not
think the size of the seed potato
SO important; whether one eye or
half potato. In cultivation he
would furrow deep and water ev-
cry other row and afterward allow
a very small amount of water in
every row. We can grow as good |
and as many potatoes as Greeley !
when we know how to plant and
cultivate. "There is tide in the
affairs of men which taken at the