The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-03-04
Potato Culture.

Wishing to add TO our own eXpe-
rience that of practical cultivators in
various sections, we addressed circu-
lar letter to large number of market
gardeners in the South, scattered from
Florida to Virginia. in which we asked
the following questions
Question l. TO what extent do you
use second-crop potatoes for spring
planting?
Out of the 35 replies received all of
the sections named, 26 growers said
they used the fali-grown potatoes
exclusively for spring planting. Three
answered that they planted most Of
their crop with the homegrown seed /;
one that he planted about one-third his
crop with them one used them very,
little, and two said they have never
tried them.
Question 2. How do they compare
for this purpose with Northern-grown
seed?
T To this question the unanimous an
swer of ali who have used the fall
grown seed is that they are much
better than the Northern seed, making
a better crop and withstand;ng the
changes of weather better. Several
growers say, "There is no comparison
between the two" one says the home
grown seed are 100 per cent, better
than Northern seed"
Question 8. Have you ever planted
them more than one season renewed
from Northern seed, or do you think it
necessary to plant Northern seed
annually enough to raise seed for
second crop?
TO this question 1S growers give
it as their opinion that it Is necessa-
ry to renew from Northern seed more
frequently than in from three to five
years Two say they have grown
them eight years consecutively from
homegrown seed; two say they have
grown them thus for 10 years, and
one says that he has grown them for II
years. Six growers say that they
consider it necessary to plant enough
Northern seed to grow potatoes for
the planting of the late crop. Several
express their opinion that if care is
used in selecting seed there need be no
necessity for change.
Question 4. Please state how you
treat the potatoes to be used for late
planting, after digging the early crop,
what size you use and whether cut or
uncut?
70 this question the majority answer
that they simply spread them out in
the shade until the planting time,
while few have adopted the bedding
plan. About one-half the answers
recommend cutting the seed potatoes.
1 observe, too, that those who do not
bed their potatoes and who cut them
are the ones who complain most of the
difficulty in getting stand of late
potatoes. Nearly all use the culls, or
small, unmarketable potatoes from the
early crop; but it is worth noticing
that those who have grown the home
seed for the longest time without
change usually consider 1t essential to
select good-sized, smooth potatoes for
planting the late crop.
Question S. What date do you plant
the second crop?
The answers to this vary with the
latitude of the growers from the last of
July in Virginia to September in
Florida. Our own experience shows
that, for this part of North Carolina,
the middle of August is the best time,
although, fair crops have been raised
from September planting But these
very late ones are apt to be cut down
by frost in an immature state
Question 6. How do you prepare the
land, plant and cultivate the late crop?
The answer to this shows that the
majority Of the growers make little or
no difference in the mode of planting
the late crops of potatoes, and the
majority complain Of the trouble in
getting a stand.
Question 7. Do you fertilize specially
for the late crop, and to what extent?
To this large number answer that
they do fertilize; but more lightly
than for the early crop, as they grow it
on the land that has had a heavy
'dressing for the first crop. A number
of growers recommend tertilizing with
q complete fertilizer to the extent of
/ 900 pounds per acre, while several use
no fertilizers because they only want a
lot of small potatoes for planting. 1t
is noticeable that those who recon-
mend this practice also find 1t
necessary to resort to Northern seed
annually to grow their seed stock.
Question s. What varieties do you
prefer?
1t ia a noticeable fact that among all
the varieties of potatoes that have been
introduced of late years, the large
majority Of these growers still give
their preference decidedly to the Early
Rose-particularly the strain known
as Houlton Rose. The vote was as
follows: Twenty-one growers name
Early Rose six name Bliss Triumph;
three name Early Ohio; two name
Pearl of Savoy two name Crown
Jewels; two name Lees Favorite, and
one each prefer Virginia Red, Beauty
of Hebron, Polaris and Clarke's No. l.
1t will be seen, then, that the Early
Rose is far from being superseded yet.
Question 8. What do you consider
the best methods of storing for winter
preservation?
There is a diversity of opinion; but
all agree that the late crop is peculiar
" easy to keep. Many prefer to store
In barrels or crates in an Outbullding,
some spread on barn floor and cover
with straw, but the majority prefer
storing in hills out doors covered with
earth. Nearly all agree in the necessi-
ty for keeping them cold and dark.
One thing noticeable in this cores
popdence Is the fact that while the
growers seem generally awake to the
value of growing late crop of Irish
potatoes in the South for seed. they do
not seem to realize the value of the
$50 n, n food oro,, to oop, n1eta with