The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-10
IRISH Potato Culture.

CLEMSON COLLEGE,, S. c., June "a, 1895.
My DEAR SIR:-Replying TO youis OF the
how to succeed In raising u second or fall
croD oil Irsh potatoes has not been definitely
settled. "The best laid schemes OF mice and
men," ETC.. u plan that succeeds one year may
fail The next. A great deal depends upon the
seasons. There can be no doubt that when
successful the second crop Is the better, and II
ia decidedly the best Tor seed for spring plant
Ing.
from (myl Bulletin No. 0, issued In March,
1898, by this Station: THE great difficulty Is
in getting n stand early enough for the plant
TO mature before frost. This can usually be
ter digging, as you would sweet potatoes, eX
cept that you need no manure. and Keep the
bed damp. (b) Spread the potatoes close to-
gether on an even surface anu cover Two 10
needles, and keep them moist. (c) Spread
them In the shade, where the morning sun
only can reach them let them remain until
they begin 10 sproul. In any cage plant only
whole potatoes; and not until the eyes show
signs OF termination, cover very shallow, say
half inch TO one inch deep"
can add very little to the above ADVICE,
except to correct what may be an error. The
advice to plant "whole potatoes only" was
based upon my own practice and the opinion
OF many old and successful potato ralsers,
they having stated that they had frequently
tried cutting the potato for second crop, and
in every instance had failed.
In 1898 after this Bulletin was published, a
friend OF mine living on the college grounds,
being short Of seed, cut his potatoes 10 one
and Two eyes. He planted At the same time
that did, h is seed were cut, nine were whole
The result was that his cume up 10 q good
stand and made good crop, while mine lay
dormant until near frost, in TACT, some OF
them until after frost, and made nothing.
Neither of these were sprouted.
In 1894, bedded out as In "B" and az in
&C." Alter the potatoes had sprouted or
Stu rt OIL IN gnrnnt nlNnfeU whole.
but took some of each and cut 10 one and two
eyes. They were all planted within two
days. Those planted whole got up late but
made little over u halt crop, while these
that had been cut, got up two or more weeks
SOONER, had good stand, aud made much
belter yield. | intend trying the same eX-
pertinent this year, with one olhGr addlllonal,
Last year, after gathering our July crop,
planted II portion Of the ground In dwarf or
bunch beans. We bad been careful TO get out
all the potatoes possible, yet in short time
after the beans got up, the potatoes came up
also tvolunteers) aud made at the rate OF over
hundred bushels 10 the acre; so as dig
ihIs season, will immediately plant another
crop Of whole seed, about the size OF u "hen u"
egg. Small seed, and eveD very small seed
will make potmtors but they are later In
lnuturiug and the average size Will he very
much smaller. Reasoning from observation,
would cover the second crop very shallow.
You will almost always find that n "volun.
irrr'' potato is either only partially covered,
or is very near To the surface.
My rule is TO make Il wide, deep furroW ana
cover with Il very small plow or the corner OF
u hoe, leaving top OF ridge below The level of
the general surface, AT the first working,
ihis furrOw Will be filled, and In SO doing the
plant will he hilled.
One other matte. If you have variety
that will mature In eight iD ten weeks, ana
another that will take twelve TO fourteen,
always plant the second crop with the early
variety. If from any cause they are late In
getting up, the early kind may make even
half crop, while the late variety would make
nothing. The same variety planted IN July
or August will mature week TO ten days
earlier than when planted In FEBRUARY or
March.
have just planted half IL peck Of IL new
kind that, ii Is said, never fails To grow, ana
will continue to grow until IrOst and VIII
keep, without SprOuring until the next June
or july and he ready l"r auoihcr lmtG crop.
am lUOkin. forward wnh great Interest 10
The result OF tins experiment.
In 1Sp2, / grew oty-srNcn varieties. In lsE',
and lS a, these were increased Ia over eighty.
also began i'm lsi2 sundry fertilizer, cul tiva-
tiOu ana other rXpeI inents. Most OF these,
having run three years, am now prrpHrlnS
u hulIeiin setting forth the result This,
hope TO have published within Il few months.
Send your name TO J. y. Hook, Esq on
postal card and he Will send you, free or
charge, all of the Station Bulletins that may
be on hand. have written somewhat hasti-
ly, and may not have covered all the points
IN your letter, n so, will be glad 10 reply to
amy further questions,
Yours very truly,
J. j.. &. DUPRE, lIorticuliurist.