Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-02-22

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AND GARDEN
LARGE POTATO CROPS
LOO" soils, Good Seed and Plenty of Pot
ash Fertilizer Are Required.

aood Soils, Good Seed and Plenty of Pot.
ash Fertilizer Are Required.
Inc potato crop grown with the small
est amount of care must vet cost more
to bring it to maturity than do average
grain crops. 1t is impossible to greatly
lessen the cost of potatoes needed u
plant an acre. Whoever attempts to do
this by selecting inferior potatoes, or by
cutting the tubcrs to single eyes, runs
great risk OF losing far more in the crop
than nc saves in the cost of PLANTING,
The seed eye makes a more vigorous start
for having q liberal chunk of starchy
nutrition in the form of potato attached
to 1t. There may be exceptions to this
rule, as there are to nearly all Of q gen
eTal character. We have usually planted
four to six bushels of cut potatoes per
acre. Those who plant potatoes uncut
require from six to eight or nino bush.
els, according to the size of tho potato
seed used.
This preliminary increased expense OF
% good crop pays tenfold the extra cost
that is involved. At each further step of
tho work OF growing the crop increased
outlay is followed by like gratifying re.
suit. This is especially true of the farm.
Ut who not only has money to spend.
but has tho enterprise, industry and OK
ecutive ability required to do tho worl;
promptly.
For a crop that involves SO largo cost
OF seed and extra cost of labor only the
best soil should be chosen. Tho expert
enced potato grower no longer heavilr
manures poor land for growing a potato
crop, He wants a soil made rich by pre-
vlous manu"ing and by blowing under
clover or some other of the leguminous
%renovating crops. If a large quantity of
coarse manure is used to fertilizo poor
land for potatoes, it will inevitably
cause blight of tho foliage and rot in
the tubers.
Tho largo potato growers now under
stand tho necessity for heavy additions
OF potash fertilizers for increasing the
potato crop. 1t is because stable manure
is generally deficient in potash that il
does harm by making a succulent, un-
healthy growth. The development Of
starch in tho tubers is through the
leaves. These are kept vigorous by plenty
OF potash, and when tho leaves do their
work we'll the quality of tho tubor i
improved.
Plenty and not too much moisture j.
essential for good potato crops. A drain.
ed soil, n clover ley ploScd under car!v
IN SPRING and continuous cultivation
until the potato crops cover the ground
will give this condition. IF the soil il
drained md tho potato foliage is large.
tho crop will not be rottcd even in q
wet season unless fresh manure has bceu
applied to it. If tho potato grower wan.
to draw out coarse manure in winter To-
be plowcd under, let it be on land in.
tended for corn. This is Il L that yyr
have never have seen injured by ma
hure. The potato crop may be.
One year with another tho potato
crop pays the careful farmer better th.,
any other 1t pays very largo pro.!ts
ahdut one year i'll three and as well "a.
most other crops in the years intcrvnn
ing Ii Is Il crop that frs III well witt,
ina system Df mixed husbundry that il
coming INTO favor, because it gives On.
ploylncIlt during the larger part of til.
year, explains American Cultivator, nm !
for the foregoing, OF course, ~.
matter how the plant may be malur"d.
there Will be 10 crop unless increasing
vigilance IS used to destroy the pu.at,
iarVa. The use OF polsons must t.
prompt, as a few hours delay will can,
loss. IL is very rare in :;
summer that the potato grower doc,
not have " few hills ruined before b,
,an stop the destruction.