The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-04-25

cherries and all the early varities are about all
killed; pears and pums are in fair condition;
peaches are so nearly all killed that we had
better look for ourpeaches to can TO be brought
from some other locality. J. +. Roth.
Flower Report-Mrs. J. f. Roth exhibits
pelargonium with fifteen large clusters of
flowers, O very fine specimen Mrs. Charles
Kridcr, bouquet of geranium, begonia, petunia
and abutilon. Our hostess, Mrs. Myers has
small collection Of house plants among which
are geraniums, cacti, palm and India rubber
plant, also quite a display of cut flowers,
several varieties of carnations, hyacinth,
marguerites, Gala and stock.
ALFARETTA SAYLER,
KATE +. Mcdowell,
LENA W. CoRRELL.
TO RAISE POTATOES.
J. F. Roth read the following paper on the
subject of How TO Prepare Ground for
Potatoe Crops" First, take clover sod; q
good plan is to let the clover grow up the sea-
son before and then plow II under in the Fall,
then give 1t good coat of well rotted manure
during the winter or in the Spring before plant
ing time, cultivate your ground thoroughly so
as to mix the manure well with the ground do
not be afraid you will cultivate your ground
too much. If you have q hard clayie sub
loosen IL up with sub-soil plow and do not be
afraid you will loosen II too deep; fourteen
inches is better than twelve inches; never be
deep for the moisture to come up from below.
think In preparing the ground as above
stated you can expect good patatoe crop If
the season Is favorable and the cultivation and
seed is such as 1t should be. There is great
deal in the kind of seed and in the way it has
been kept during winter and spring.
There might be great deal said on how to
raise good potatoe crop, but as am only
to write on the preparation of ground will
stop at this. J. +. ROTH.
Mr. Watson Wise opened the discussion
upon the essay by differing from Mr.. Roth
somewhat, and would plough the ground in
the spring unless it was a very stiff clay soil
then he would plough it in the fall and again
in the spring.
He thinks that the manure for potatoes is
not always used to good advantage. 1t will
pay any farmer to compost the manure before
spreading on the land
Unless you keep the bugs off you will usually
get no potatoes, and also that there are dis
eases that affect the potato crop; blight some-
times overtakes the potato patch which makes
ii look as IL a drought has passed over it. He
also recommends washing the seed potatoes
with some solution TO prevent the scab.
Using barnyard manure without being com
posted is sure to produce scab.
Mr. Roth read an article on the subject from
the Rural New Yorker, by p, Herrick. The
writer recommends clover sod on loan land
ploughed in the fall. ut Is better" he says,
to pat the barnyard manure on the ground
after 1t is ploughed during the winter Early
planting usually gives the best results"
Mr.. VIM. Nash, who lives near New Balti
more, where the farmers are very largely en-
gagged in potato raising, endorses ploughing
down clover sod for potato crop.
Harrow the ground thoroughly and contin-
ually after the potatoes are planted until they
are up, to keep down the weeds; and after they
are up cultivate frequently. He would put the
manure on the ground in fall or winter and
plough in the spring.
Recommends experimenting with CONNER
Cial fertilizer before risking il on large field
as what may prove valuable on one kind Of
soil, may be nearly worthless on other soils.
Mr. Aultfather would take the horse-rake
and rake the coarse manure off the field before
plowing, as coarse manure is in the way when
1t comes to plowing or cultivating.
Hr Hayhurst, in answer to Mr.. Lawrence's
question, why is clover sod the best for pota-
toes, seeing there is very little nutriment in
clover for the potstoes2" thought that one of
the chief advantages lay in the fact that clover
makes the soil mellow and hence good seed
bed.
Mr.. Wise said that clever roots run deep
and collect elements from below that help to
enrich the soil.
Mr.. Krider thought that one object in tax
ing clover soil for potatoes is that II is usually
the best land on the farm-that farmers sell
of hay from the farm until much of their
land is too poor to raise clover. Mr.. Wise said
it was better to sell the timothy hay than
clover, as a tor of timothy sold removes from
the farm five dollars worth of plant food
while a ton of clover removed nine dollars and
seventy five cents worth.
The president asked about raising potatoes
on soil not plowed but merely covered with
straw.
Mr.. Wise had known potatoes raised thus:
1t would do in dry season but not in wet
One-it is lazy mans way of farming.
Mr.. j. X. McDowell's practical experience
had demonstrated the truth of Mr.. Wise's re-
marks.
Pres Lawrence had also succeeded in getting
a good crop in dry season.
Mr.. Hayhurst urged the keeping seed
potatoes from sprouting as far as possible so
that the seed should have the greatest possible
vitality and asked for some plan for thus
keeping them.
Mr.. Krider selects his seed potatoes in the
fall and allows them to lie in the sun light
until they turn green so that they are spoiled
for eating the buds will be strong and they
will not sprout so soon.
Mr.. Hayhurst had heard Of keeping in cold
storage.
Mr.. Aultfather's plan for raising and saving
seed potatoes Is given below: II plant in an
old strawberry bed any time in the first half
OF July-select my seed potatoes from this crop
bury them-cover them first with straw,
then two or three inches of soil and when there
comes a freeze cover with more straw and
more soil on the frozen bed and after the last
covering is frozen cover with coarse manure"
That is my cold storage plan.
MIR. Better wants to know what to do with
the potatoes we have now, which have not
been in cold storage, to keep them from sprout-
ing until planting time.
Mr.. Wise says rub off the sprouts in their
infancy"
Mr.. Hayhurst said ii weakens the bud to
treat the potato thus
Mr.. Aultfather moves his potatoes every ten
days; they will not sprout until they have be-
come compact and warm; recommends early
planting would rather have them frozen OIL
ing.
CUTTING THE SEED.
Joseph Bast says do not cut the potatoes
long before planting.
Mr. McGregor urged the planting of an
early and late patch so that If one failed the
other might succeed.
HOW TO INCREASE THE MEMBERSHIP.
Mr.. McGregor moved that the membership
fee should be reduced for the remaining eight
months of 1895 TO fifty cents.
Father Bayliss whose whole soul has heen in
the work of building up and keeping alive the
organization, objected to the motion in care
fully worded speech which showed that age
does not seemed to have dimmed his mental
vision when the interest of the society is al
stake. He does not believe in offering bribes
to get men to join the society who would have
no interest with us.
Mr.. Dehof thought good plan would be To
require each member to procure one additional
member and fine Of one dollar for neglect to
do 50.
Other remarks were made ON the motion by
Messrs. Erwin, Bitter, Roth and others, but al
the conclusion of Mr. Ravlissi remarkR Mr.