The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-18


Irish Potato Culture.
As to the methods o. culture potato
growing is pretty much the same thing
every where. The principal difference con
sists in the time Of planting and to some
extent IL the manner Of manuring.
In Middle Georgia the tirst planting IS
made in February from the 10th 10 the
10Th. Sometimes March paintings tdrn
out as well Is those made earlier. This
IS the.-cae when spring is bsckwa ard.
Paintings after April are not desirable,
as rule. unless u is the second crop
planted in July OF August from seeds made
rom the drst planting.
When the seed potatoes are cut to one
sye It - not safe TO plant as early as
nhen the cuts are left Win two or more
eyes. Should a severe frost in March nip
he vine that starts from one eye the
srop is sure 10 be greatly diminished.
Where two eyes are left a more vigorous
growth is renewed after a frost and the
crop. is rarely affected 70 any marked
extent.
Long ago, after repeated trials with one,
two or three ewes we decided that It was
more economical to use Two eyes, though
1t may add two or three dollars TO the
cost of seeding an acre.
Prepare ton for planting should begin
six to eight weeks before planting. unless
one..has soil naturally fertile and needs
40 further fertility.
But there Is very little of this kind of
land in this section. The very best land
that we have IS improved for potatoes by
he addition OF manure of some kind. 1t
may be that only mineral element or
two may be called for in some Instances,
but this should be applied in advance Of
planting
Any vegetable matter that may be on
the surface should be turned under in
December and burrows laid OFF at three
feet apart 1.-TWO and one-half feet may be a
desirable sometimesl ii IL be land that
needs that kind of manure proceed at
once to haul out any stable or other LOT
manure and spread in the burrows of
ordinary manure q shovelful TO every
three feet Of row viii be fair applica-
ton. Afterward spread over this manure
1000 pounds OF more if necessary and cir
cumstances allow Of the following mix
tire
/ part acid phosphate.
1 part cotton seed hull ashes. :
parts bone meal Qine).
part otton sec meal.
We regard this rs ali ideal manure for
potatoes, but of course there are other
substances that can be substituted for
each and all Of these materials. 4 north
ern grower would probably md IL imprac
be did not use wood ashes. he could resort
10 potato salts-if KANT, using two parts
lnstead of one. Ii muriate of potash, one
half part.
In lieu of cotton seed meal dried blood
or nitrate of soda could be used.
Any complete fertilizer can be used TO
the amount of Il thousand or two thous
and pounds per acre but when such a
quantity is used it is better not to apply
it all in the one furrow. Apply one-th4rd
IN the tirst furrow and after listing
throwing two burrows on the tirst-put the
Other two-thirds in these two burrows.
Leaving the land in this furrowsd con-
dition allows the frosts and freezes to do
some good work In the way Of puiverizing
the surface, and III manner far superior
to what could be done by plowing at its
best.
The time arrived to plant and the seed
cut, or ready to be cut, prepare thor
oughly by reopenlng the ridges, running
the Piow through at least twice; pillow on
each side and then reopen again If the
planting is done by hand drop the cuts
every twelve or fifteen inches and press
them firmly into the soft earth; soft, but
not from water. Plant only when the soil
is properly dry DO not throw more than
two inches of soil upon the seed
Planted in February, ordinarily it re-
quires twenty-one days to bring the pota-
toes uD. The first work should be har-
rowing. The sweep does the work gener-
ally in the south. If the soil is light and
ioamy. in texture, all cultivation should be
shallow from start to finish; but when
the soil is stiff, at all inclined TO run to-
gethcr,'' it is advisable to break the soil
deeply between the rows about two weeks
after the plants are all well up but all fur
Their cultivation should be shallow-using
d harrow or sweep, or light-running cult
Vator.
OF the hundreds of names Of sorts, it is
impossible to say which, three or four. are
the very best. We have the Ohio White
Elephant and St. Patrick, most excellent
and q good strain of the old well known
Goodrich, is a potato to be priced. The
Chicago Market generally ehcits COM
mendatfon.
But there are SO many new and good
sorts il is only a very uninteligent anna
teur who does not have his or two kinds
that he prefers to all others. There is a
vast difference in potatoes. in their pro-
ductive and edible qualities, and when one
gets hold of kind that gives satisfaction
he ought to stick to it and even improve
II by proper selection.