Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-12-03

and the exercises or Judgment along
nj these lines for Il man To know with
anything like precision whether il is
best 10 extend or curtlii his operations
along certain hines of crop production
for any particular year. Jumping ut
conclusions or following along i'm an
CID nut Is 4 Style OF farming that ought
- be- obsolete ia This day and age of
the world.
Ii there is any one expression that
describes the successful farmer OF TO-
day it is thar of being up 20 the times.
Other things being equal the up-with-
tle-tilnes farmer il found in the lead
every day an,i everywhere. Soma
farmers arr always waiting for an OPP
portunity. but there are others who
make a business OF manufacturing up
portgnities. \ good and favorable sea-
son for crop growing is not the only
thing that pushes prosperity into "A
farmers doorway. Let the farmer fol-
low his best Judgment with an eye out
for the aain chance always. AID he il
pretty apt 70 succeed. provided his
Judgment is an Intelligent Judgment.
harvesting and storing Potatoes
A- lOtdNb tAoD ~liDIst bt diffffEu ~
get entirely ripc before being dug. AZ
ter the ;ubers are matured they should
be harvested without delay. The large
four-lorse diggers arc the most eco
nom,cai 10 use. II Is hardly possible 10
sort a crop properly in the fell. Ii
only Il snail force is run and Il ma
chine is employed, a fair job may he
done. The sorting is a ye-y important
matter ard requires the most careful
attention. A crop rightly sorted is
more than half marketed. No one
should attempt 10 top a sack With big
potatoes. putting small ones in the bot
ON. Ii always works injury. The
only way is to make a sack good all
through.
\ twO-inch screen is the smallest that
should be used All rough ana scabby
potatoes should be thrown out and the
grade made as nearly uniform AZ posi-
Bile. Storing potatoes is least under
stood OF any feature Of the business.
Ihe very heavy shrinkage generally
claimed to follow storing may rot he
more than the truth. but it is unncces
sary. II a man expects 70 sell dirt. ami
counts il Il loss If he DOESN'T sell ten or
fifteen pounds in every sack. he had
better not store his crop. Thoroughly
ripe potatoes may be stored and Kept
until March l at n loss not 10 exceed >
per cent. in order 10 do this, a man
musr have "A dugout in which he eau
control tile temperature absolutely. II
should be kept within Z range of six or
eight degrees upward from Is degrees
above zero. The Field and Farm last
week had n very good article Oh the
construction or potato cellars.
More loss occurs from heating than
from all other sources put together.
After all. storing is a risky business.
My plan for keeping seeds is this: AS
soon as the weather begins to get
warm in the spring | spread the seed
out about = good foo deep ~ the
floor OF the dug-out and shovel it over
about once in TEN days. TO keep il cOo!.
In this way | am able 10 plant seed
which is rs solid and free from sprouts
as when II was dug in the fall. How
best 10 market potatoes is a question
With every season. Every Year seems
10 present ONE Lew obstacle TO this
branch OF tle business. The greatest
drawback is excessive transportation
rates.
But h question proper Is, shall a
farmer sell { local dealers or ship hi;
crop. AT his own risk AID responsible
itys Strong competition between local
tiles has tended TO cut down the deal
ers' margins until there is not big
money in the business: at least. not in
eason like the present. Yet. ii a
farmer. IL "A number OF farmers. have
Il large quantity of ~tirst-clt - potatoes.
IL will certainly pay them 70 slip. For
myself. | always ship my crops. and
make it pay me exceedingly well. The
principal thing. however. 10 be kept in
mind in selling potatoes is TO never
offer anything but first-class stock.-A
Il. Fowler. ia Field and Farm.