The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-22


Changing seed potatoes for the purpos,
! of securing those grown IN a. different sol
may be advantageous, and it may not
| More depends upon the selection anC
keeping of seed than changing from one
| soil to another.
Changing for the purpose of securing
| an improved variety is also uncertain
as to results. New blood does not
necessarily indicate an Improvement, fol-
as . matter of fact many of the new
varieties are inferior to the old.
| Keeping seed potatoes so as to pre-
serve their vitality is of the utmost i'm
| by pitting. but cold storage where the
temperature IS held at about 30 degrees
Fab, is the ideal method.
Cold storage potatoes make a quick
vigorous growth and give a perfect
stand N the field.
A storage room for potatoes need not
necessarily be cooled with ice, as ventila-
ton answers very well, but with ice the
temperature may be controlled at all
seasons.
A good crop of potatoes may be secured
if planting is delayed until the first of
July, provided the seed is kept properly.
AS between budding or sprouting the
seed in the light. and cold storage fhere
is but little choice.
Budding is accomplished by spreading
the potatoes. one layer deep, on the barn
floor, on q loft, or in shallow boxes.
where they get light. but are not exposed
to direct sunlight This is done several
Potatoes treated in this manner come
up in about one week. and grow with
astonishing rapidity. Cold storage po-
tatoes are few days later in coming up
but mature at the same time.
Contrary to expectations. the best re-
suits have been secured in using medium
and late varieties for late planting.
Usually. as large a crop is not secured
by late as by early planting. but the adj
vantages lie in being able to follow early
crops in this manner, and in securing
better seed. because of the superior keep
ing qualities of late grown potatoes.
1t has been found advantageous to i'm
merse seed potatoes not more than one
hour in the corrosive sublimate solution.
in the treatment to prevent potato scab.
Seed potatoes grown from treated
seed, and planted on land free from
scab, may produce tubers almost free
from scab.
tie or no good if the potatoes are planted
on land infested with scab.
1t is a good plan to treat seed potatoes
some time before planting, and to dry
before storing.
Spraying to prevent potato blight has
given variable results, possibly because
TIE same forms of blight have not been
present at all times.
Potatoes appearing to be sound, but
showing a dark ring. when cut across
the stem end are diseased and will carry
the blight to the field. The Colorado
potato beetle, blister and flea beetles may
carry the disease from one hill to an
other.
It is essential to reject diseased tubers
to keep the bugs in check and to plant
on ground where potatoes haye not been
grown for year or two. In spraying,
six ounces of Paris green should be used
TO q barrel of Bordeaux mixture.
Thorough cultivation is important, so
as to prevent the waste of moisture, and
to keep up a vigorous growth, as
means of rendering the plants somewhat
to blight.
The most promising of the new early
varieties are, Burrs No. 1, Bovee, Early
Michigan. Early Thoroughbred and Van
Orman's No. SO.
The most promising of the new late
varieties are, Carman No 8, Country
Enormous, Flagle Living
ston, Table King. Uncle Sam and Wise
White Early Ohio. Pride of the South.
and White Bliss Triumph are valuable
for certain sections. and for special pur-
poses, but not for general cultivation.
American Wonder, Carman Nos. / and
3. Early Norther. Early Harvest. Rural
New Yorker No. 2. Sir William and Wise
have been tested sufficiently to warrant
recommending them for general cultiva-
ton.
Superphosphate has increased the
potato crop, in our experiments, to a
profitable extent. the cost per bushel of
Increase being five to six cents.
There does not appear to be much diff |
erence in the efficiency of dissolved bone |
black and acid phosphate, but Stag phos- |