The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-08
Potato Growing Again.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
When 1 wrote my little article on potato
growing / did not think it would return
me so much correspondence from potato
growers asking for my plan in detail. AS
they all read the Journal l will reply
through its columns.
The first thing is the right kind of soil.
potato soil being the scarcest soil on any
farm. A soil that grows a big crop of
corn or wheat will not necessarily grow
good potatoes. 1t requires a soil that will
hold moisture in a dry time, if possible;
no sandy soil, for that gets too hot in a
dry time and stops the growth of the
potatoes; no oak, beech or hickory soil. for
it gets too dry and hard in a dry time. But
where once grew walnut, poplar, sugar tree
or maple or sycamore mot elm) is the soil
1 prefer. Let it be well drained and not
too hilly nor too low and fiat as to flood or
overflow in time of q big rain. A dark,
deep soil is the finest. Commence with a
crop of clover one or two years old that
has been MANFRED on the thinnest places
during the past winter Or last fall. Don't
use stable manure after April lit is too
heating and will cause scab; hog manure
no time, nor hog pasture-it scabS badly.
Cow or dairy manure is much preferred, as
it is always cool and moist. Be sure the
soil is not too dry, so the pieces or eyes
of the potatoes win fail TO start or grow.
If possible use a two-horse planter, as l
prefer drilling at all times; or il by hand
dropping the eyes sixteen inches apart,
cutting one good eye TO a piece or two lit
tie weak eyes. Plant deep, but do not
cover to more than level or a little ridge.
If the weather seems dry while you are
breaking, drag up to pillow each half day.
The finest point in my success is to retain
Potatoes contain q per cent. Of their
weight in water; If they only get % per
cent. or one-third you will be short in the
crop to that proportion. Do not move seed
potatoes from a deep, cool, dark place till
planting. | prefer to cut the pieces two
or three days before, spreading out on the
cellar moor before planting. It causes the
bleeding to heal and will be in less danger
of rot if a flood comes anyways soon. I
select q medium size, but must be perfect
in shape dixie a fine plg.-no scrub We
make it a rule TO scoop the seed potatoes
in a new place every two weeks in order to
weight lost by sprouung or whitening is
a serious loss. In about a week or ten
row-a light drag is better-and drag off
the ridges made by covering; this kills
young weeds rust coming up and let's the
young potato vine come up in fresh, clean
soil, and often it's good-bye weeds. A
heavy crop of green clover amounts to sew
erai tons per acre, root and branch, weight
nutriment and moisture in a dry time. and
by blowing and planting as above directed
the young potato creeps down like a little
mouse and makes it's summer bed in the
moist. decomposing clover turned under
by the plow- Be sure you use a chain and
EfF& IF y ~ III l. ~ va ~ VIII
cover all the clover. About the middle of
June the potatoes are ready for the first
blowing. They have come through clean
soil looking strong and vigorous. When
about two or three inches high commence
to stir the soil; use small, long-pointed
tools that go deep and close to the vines.
Never let the soil under the vines get set
tied down hard, as right there is danger
of a big mistake. You can't fire potatoes
like you do corn by close, deep cultivation.
Cultivate this way the first two or three
times, then use larger tools. say not over
three-inch shovels. Never use large ones,
young potatoes commence setting on near
the surface. Keep the soil almost level
until the last two plowings. Do not pillow
so deep when the vines gee larger, as you
must not break roots or disturb the nest
of young tubers. Do not run through the
middle with u large single shovel. as some
farmers 90, as the crop will suffer in case
of a drought or big rains. A medium oval
ridge is sufficient. BY planting the last week
in May the crop is much easier tended and
does not interfere with other crops. Then
the usual hardest rains that bring up late
weeds are killed by late after-harvest plow-
ing.
This article is to farmers who grow
potatoes as q field crop, five. ten or fifteen
acres. To the market gardener l have
nothing to say About early varieties.
Medium late varieties for the farmer. DO
not dig the crop too soon. When the vines
are quite yellow the crop of potatoes is
growing the fastest. / the
Green Mountain and Rural New Yorker.
For frying potatoes Northern Spy leads all.
J. SANDERS HOLLINGSWORTH.
Snacks, Ind, April 8.