The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-03
irish Potato Growing.

Although the price of Irish potatoes has
been very low during the past year. caus-
ed by the large production and a decreased
consumption, says the Southern Planter,
yet it is not a crop which the farmer can
afford to cease to grow, especially here in
the south, where the great bulk of the
supply for the early northern market is
raised, and where a second crop can be
grown in the year, for which second crop
there is a large and growing demand for
seed for the first early crop. 1t is also
a crop which supplies a large home want
during the winter months, and for which
the extreme southern markets afford an
outlet. The early crop for the northern
markets being now planted and growing,
the planting of the main crop for home
consumption should be seen to. 1t is use
less to endeavor to grow Irish potatoes
on poor land. A rich light loan is the
best soil for the crop, and even on this
land it will pay to fertilize literally. This
crop is one of the few to which it is more
advisable to apply commercial fertilizers
than farm-yard manure. Farm-yard ma :
nure has a tendency to produce scabby
potatoes. Use, therefore, a specially pre-
pared potato fertilizer, and use it liber-
ally. An experiment made in New York
state, extending over two years, has been
just reported. There special potato ferti-
lizers were used in amounts varying from
1000 to 1900 pounds to the acre, and the
work was carried through two successive
years without using fertilizer the second
year.
In the case of the unfertilized soil, as
well as that fortified with 1000 and 1000
pounds of fertilizer, there was falling off
in yield and percentage of marketable po-
tatoes the second year as compared with
the first year, the difference being some
what greater in the case of the unfertil-
lied soil. Taking the two years the use
of 600 pounds of fertilizer was attended
with profitable results as compared with
using no fertilizer, producing a net gain
equal to $2Z5S an acre, while the use of
1900 pounds was attended with a gain
smaller by SIP
When 1000 pounds of fertilizer were
used, there were left unused, even after
two crops, very considerable quantities of
plant food, which is very liable to under
go loss by teaching in light soils like the
one used.
NJ Mineur, the French experimental,
has found that blight in the crop can be
prevented by dipping the sets in the fol-
lowing mixture before planting
Take one ounce of bichloride of mer-
curry and dissolve in a little warm water.
Then take fourteen ounces of sulphate of
copper and dissolve in warm water. Add
these two solutions to thirty-seven gallons
of water in an old barrel and mix thor
oughly. Dip the sets in this mixture, let
ting them remain in it for five or six min
utes. Plant at once, or within five or six
days. This solution is poisonous, and must
therefore be kept out of the way of stock
or human beings.
Let the land be well worked before
planting, and plant in rows three feet
apart Cultivate level and frequently. 1t
will take from twelve and fifteen bushels
of potatoes of a size about as large as an
egg to plant an acre. This size should be
planted uncut. If larger, cut in two At
least two or three eyes should be left on
each piece.