The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-05-16
Winter Keeping of Irish Potatoes.

W. r. t., GAINESVILLE Ga VIII YOU give
| me the best manner of keeping Irish Potatoes
Tor market Say should plant about April
lSt would they keep in the ground where
planted until October? ! am now thinking OF
planting aboht 80 acres next season for mar
ket and don't know the best wav of keenino
Tor 1all or winter sales. Please give me some
advice or information on the question What
is the average yield per acre
ANSWER by HUGH ". STARNEs. Horticultu-
riSt.
Irish Potatoes will not keep in the
ground where planted until fail. if put
In during early spring. They will
sprout late in the summer, make fresh
growth of vines and the old tubers turn
soft and partially decay This has
been tested at the Station with the re-
suit stated.
On the whole, it is probably impracti-
cable IN this latitude, to keep Irish pota-
toes, dug at the time of their ordinary
maturity = early in June-for fall or
winter sales, and l would strongly ad-
wise against its attempt The crop at
the North is dug late in the season, in
comparatively pleasant weather, and
us marketing is much simpler matter
than with US. There is potato. how
ever. recently introduced largely in
Northwest Georgia, that may possibly
solve this difficulty. This potato is the
Lookout Mountain, identical, almost
with the old standard variety Hoosier
but possessing, l understand, certain
points of difference. | am not very
familiar with the HOOSier. but lam with
the Lookout Mountain. It's popularity
is That 1T does not do well planted at the
usual season-in early spring, but
thrlves If put in at midsummer-from
July 10Th to August 18th, according to
location; here about August list. We
marketed our crop of it this year No
vember End. 1t was ready for dipDin1
some weeks before The Weld is not
heavy, but the potatoes are large and
handsome and of unsurpassed quality.
Now potatoes dug November Ist can
be readily preserved; possibly the best
way is barreling. They might also br
kept in the cellar If there is sufficient
room. or on barn floor. In this climate
they keep sufficiently well stored simp
ly under the house where moisture can
not reach them. Our ordinary cold
weather does not seem to materially in
Jure them. A system of hoored rack3
might be employed, in building erected
Tor the perpose, similar to Snow To.
bacco barn, the racks being SO arranged
as to draw up one after the other like
tobacco racks. | hardly think, how
wv, NHoL any HysLeIH OF storage
could be practica bly, put into
operation with crop of forty acres, fo-
Irish Potatoes will Yield, in Georgia. at
the rate of from Elk hty to two hundred
bushels per acre. The only practical
way to handle croo of this size would
be to plant ''LoohGut Mountain" tate,
dig in October a;!& barrel. The late
planting with L00loM Mountain pota-
toes is conducted ;ast like the sprin,.
planting, tubers being cut similarly,
This system has tn additional advant.
age of enabling TIA grower to utilize
his stubble land after crop of grain
has been harvested.
The Lookout Mountain potato may be
obtained from II ii Arlington, sum
merville, Chattooga county, Ga.
| will further suggest as means of
winter protection, killing or banking
just as in case of Sweet Potatoes. Irish
Potatoes viii keep in this way much
more readily than sweet Potatoes and
IN view OF the unusual winter we have
just experienced, it may be well not 10
trust too much TO the normal mildness
Of our climate