Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-11-28
New Method of Potato Growing.

We had heard through our friend
Crew OF the wonderful results In Irish
potato growing obtained by the new
method OF Mr.. Ford of Rusk We were
lncredulous and curious so wrote Mr..
Ford for Information. He sent us In
reply n photo of his potato patch at
time OF digging, showing a vine from
the roots OF which the earth had been
partially removed, leaving the pota-
toes hanging. We have studied the
photo closely. II seems that only about
one-third OF the hill is exposed by the
removal OF earth, yet we count 10 pota-
toes and only one small one, and that
on a root which runs out OF the end OF
large potato. The vines cover the
ground like a luxuriant growth OF bur
clover. The following statement &c
companied the photo:
Il am a great believer In intensive
agriculture. and OF course. heavy ma
nurng. l manure 30 heavily with cot
ton seed and cow manure that my
statements would not be credited. j
also irrlgate a little.
The usual yield of Irish potatoes
is 100 bushels per acre, but ] can raise
twenty-five times as many. tho 1 do 1t
by raising six crops In year.
The secret OF my potato growing
IL that / grow the potatoes before
plant them and dig the potatoes
plant.
81 plant In water furrow but leave
narrow balk In the bottom and upon
this l drop the seed every eighteen
Inches. Part of the seed falls on one
side OF the balk and part on the other.
10 i really have double hill. cover
with two burrows. TIE seed I use Is
generally the size OF English peas, tho
they run from the size OF birds eye
TO that of marble OF these I drop
from twenty to sixty In each hill and
" there is enough rain every one will
make fine potato. II never takes
more than seventy-five potatoes grown
this way to make bushel. and often
Sixty VIII do It. But II takes manure
to grow them. After rains ] put on
LIQUID manure In addition to the ma
nure already In the soil. The manur-
ing governs the yield.
by the old method OF growing pota-
toes 1t takes from so TO 100 days. but
by my method | can raise a crop In
from four 10 six weeks
Il have used the same seed for n
quarter OF century and have potatoes
the whole year round.
II think the Early Rose will stand
forcing better than any other. but tho
Triumph will make crop twenty days
tnto OF Texas.
Now. IN tell you the other half
OF the secret: Manuring IL only one
half Sprout the potatoes before you
plant them. Not only sprout them, but
raise the little potatoes In the barrel
before planting. have sprouting
house built for the purpose. II has
double walls Allied In with sawdust
and sawduBt over head. and double
doors. Into this house put my seed
potatoes. put them In old barrels
and small boxes because | want to
keep them warm and make them sprout
and they win do II better this way
than in a heap or bank After getting
my potatoes In the house In the right
shape ] keep the room warm by means
OF a small charcoal fire In bake oven.
One barrel Of coal viii last the whole
time. The potatoes will now begin 90
grow in the barrels and In from four
TO six weeks the young p0tatoel win
be the size OF peas-planting size. I
now knock the barrels or boxes to
pieces and find a mass OF roots and
sprouts and myrisds OF little new POI
tstoes. The numerous roots hold the
whole mass together. and load II on a
hand barrow and have two men carry
Il down the row while break on q
| handful OF the mass and drop II on the
| balk In the furrow already prepared
| as stated. Count the little potatoes on
the stems uhtil you can form an Idea