Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-03-05
POTATOES IN THE
ARKANSAS VALLEY.
A Paper by Supt. p. X. Blinn Read
Before the Fremont County
Farmers Institute.

learned on the suUJect. huu VIC oie "'A
able to formulate, US yet, any law that
will solve the mystery OF successful re-
suits. The nearest to a criterion was
given by IN old potato grower in Otero
county. He said Common sense and
water" was the secret OF success.
In general, that may be true, but 1t
lacks specific application. But those
who have met with failures need not
make a personal application Of this form
MIA, for we can usually ascribe our fail.
ures TO dearth OF water.
The importance OF the potato to the
farmer needs no comment, suffice TO say
that il possible to be grown here 1t Will
add materially to the resources OF the
valley. The high freight rates from the
northern part OF the state in supplying
the southern markets makes the odds
the difference in our favor. And also
the farmer can supply the home demand.
In experimental work there are two
methods to reach practically the same re.
suits. First to have few persons en-
gage in the efforts for long period.
Second, to have n large number OF indi-
yiduals perform the tests for few years.
The second way has been going on in
this valley IN the efforts to raise potatoes,
and now, il it were possible to accumu-
| late the experience OF every cultiyator in
the valley, and place such data in the
hands OF an intelligent farmer, he could
draw some valuable conclusions. With
this object in view many farmers have
been conversed with on this subject and
asked what they considered us the essen
tials. From such data and from obser-
walton and experience will present
some ideas to introduce the discussion,
in which trust We can criticise, and re-
late new experiences, and in this way
touch on some OF the true requisites OF
successful porto culture.
SELECTION OF THE LAND.
1t is agreed that u rich, sandy loan is
the natural soil for the potato. But u.s.
what the farm naturally affords, except
in the case OF fertilization, which he can
partially control. In general clean,
mellow soil should be had. In some por-
tions Of the state new prairie sod is de-
sired and many chose old bottom lands,
but from observation / prefer alfalfa
ground, either the FIRST, second or third
year from sod. But it is very necessary
to have good Job OF plowing, as the alf-
ALA, il not all killed, will interfere seri-
ously with cultivating and harvesting.
Close attention should be paid to the
surface form of the piece. A steep, roll
ing land should always be avoided, and
one perfectly level, or nearly so, is not
the best, but one that is plain and in
clined so that water will run and not
wash, is what we want. Another point
in the selection is that it should be ac-
cessible for irrigation, for potatoes must
be on land that can be watered readily
l vrhn
TIME OF PLANTING.
| It is generally conceded that early po.
tatoes have not been a success as yet
but that late planted potatoes are the
most satisfactory. The date varies will
individuals, but from the middle Of Jun,
TO the first OF July is the time usual,
adopted, provided the season is normal
PREPARING THE SOIL FOR PLANTING
About the most essential thing il
planting is to see that the soil is sufli
ciently moist to ger1ninate and supper
the potato until it can be cultivated t,
some extent. As we can not depend OF
rain it is necessary to water the groun,
just previous to planting, which is don
by several methods: By flooding til
ground-furrowing out where the row
are intended and running water in then
and in a fow days dropping tho seed il
the wet rows and covering with plow o
harrow-and some resort to the metho
of planting and irrigating up after plan,
ing, but is not usually practiced for tn
earth bakes too hard to allow good re
suits.
VARIETIES TO PLANT.
We will only name n few that we hav
known to succeed here, though no doub
we will miss many other successful VAR
\ ct A &l,,k
der our notice the Burbank's Seeding
Late Ohio, White Pearl, Blue Victor an,
Mammoth Pearl.
Potatoes that conform to certain typ
CHARACTERISTIC Of the variety in CUES
ton, are preferable to the small, or eve,
to the very largest in the variety, for it i
the uniformity Of desirable qualities tha
makes the marketable product. As t,
cutting the seed there is some differenc
OF opinion, but it is generally conceded
that piece with one or two strong eye
is sufficient.
PLANTING.
The best results have been secured
wnere the rows were good distance
apart to allow hilling up. From 36 to 4.
inches, depending on the grade Of tn,
rows. The potatoes arc usually dropped
IL to IL inches apart in the row. There
are several methods of planting, but fol
large areas and when the soil is in good
condition the horse planter has no equal
CULTIVATION
should begln as soon as the potatoes
have appeared SO that the rows can be
discerned, and if the ground bakes from,
ram it is often advisable to harrow the
ground before the potatoes appear, and
Ill this way the potatoes are not com.
PEELED to force through hard crust.
Cultivation should be very thorough aud
as the plants begin to spread the stirring
need not be SO deep, but hilling should
begin and at the time they require the
tirst water by irrigation they should be
hllled up as much as possible. This hill
ing Is accomplished best with a regular
adjustable potato hitler, but some resort
to plowlng a furrow toward each side of
the row with a small common plow.
Hllllng up is very essential for the fol.
lowing reasons: 1t places all the soil in
the field accessible to the plants, giving
them good bed to root and form the
tubers in deep enough to prevent the
sun from injuring the potatoes that
would otherwise lay near the surface.
and 1t prevents the ground from dryiu1
out, the loose earth acting as mulch
otherwise with low or nearly fiat cultiya.
sion the earth becomes wet around the
plant, bakes, cracks and easily dries out,
by hlllins 1t affords practically sub-irri-
gatlon, as the water in the deep trenches
between the rows has to soak up to reach
the plants. A light cultivation should
follow every irripation IN hro,l- ~ IL