The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-03-10
Horticultural Notes.
POTATO RAISING.

Read before the Allen county Horticultural
Society by |. b. Lawyer)
In the first place we want the right
kind of soil, and 1 don't think we
often find just the right kind of soil in
this part of the country as there is
not enough sand in the soil. With
proper fertilizing and proper prepa-
ration of the soil some very good re-
suits can be obtained in favorable
seasons.
For early potatoes prefer the
ground plowed deep in the fall of the
year, then it will be in good condition
early in the spring. L believe in
planting as early as the condition of
the ground will permit; often when
we plant early We are liable to loose
the seed by late freezing weather. In
order to prevent this 1 pillow deep
furrow, then drop the potatoes in and
fill the furrow with coarse manure,
then turn furrow on that and it
creates hot bed that will prevent
freezing, and will also make them
come up earlier.
The next and most essential thing
towards good crop is good seed. Do
not plant potatoes that have been
sprOuting two or three times until all
their vitality is gone or you will be
sure not to get good stand. With
out which you cannot get good crop.
In order to get good early potato
seed try and raise some juniors. You
may not always succeed but when
you do your potatoes will be renewed
and will be better for several years.
They will not sprout during the win
ter and will be more firm at planting
time, and come up earlier and be bet
ter in every respect.
Some one may ask what are junior
potatoes; well, they are potatoes
raised from potatoes that were raised
the same year. OF course you could
not do that with late varieties. Ihave
not had enough experience in raising
second crop potatoes to give any
special rule. The best ones 1 ever
raised were volunteers. After dig
ging the first crop and blowing the
potatoes and sowing in turnip seed
the potatoes that was mixed came up
and made nice potatoes. Last year
we tried another plan; from our first
digging we saved the smaller ones
and laid them on the floor where they
was well ventilated and about the |
last of June we planted them in well
prepared ground, but very few of them
came up. 1t may have been on &C
count of the dry season.
With late potatoes have not had |
much experience only with the peach
blow variety. They are often injured
by sprouting too much before they are
planted. They want to be taken up
from where they are buried or out of
Lhe cellar as soon as it is safe to do so,
IN account of freezing, and spread
them on floor and keep them stirred
Up occasionally. They will come up
sooner if they are cut several days
before they are planted and spread on
floor and have time to shrink. 1
never plant until about the middle
# May. For several years 1 have
planted about half in May and the
'ther half in June, and if plant them
n the moon prefer the dark of the
noon. Just the week before new
noon, but when 1 can't succeed in
LONG that on account of the weather ,
plant them in the ground the first ,
opportunity. L have found out that
ither May or June planting does well
Then there is plenty of rain. 4
In order to save the moisture find t
lulching very good plan, but care
lust be taken to not have the seed \
OF. a very good plan is not to mulch v
hem until they are nearly up, and
here the ground is inclined to hold
ne water up there had better be some b
lrrOws along the rows for the water
} settle in.
Piles of people have piles but De-
Y tits Witch Hazel Saliva will ..uro +