The Somerset reporter., 1897-04-22
s5lG9GF3asi>RNmz<..
FlEL1aN1 GRRpEN
IRISH POTATOES.


Changing >eei When aud How to Plant,
Promising Varieties.
"Changlng SEED potatoes fer the pur-
pose Of securing those grown on differ
ent soil may be advantageous. and it
may not More depends upon the selec-
ton and keeping Of seed than changing
from one soil To another. Changing for
the purpose Of securing an improved va
jcty is also uncertain as to results New
Blood does not necessarily indicate an
improvement fer as matter of fact
many Of the new varieties are inferior
to the old. - These conclusions are
drawn from results gained at the Ohio
station and reported in a recent bulletin.
Following is summary of the bulletin
mentioned;
Keeping seed potatoes SO as to pre-
serve their vitality Is of the utmost i'm.
portancc. This can be done fairly well
by pitting, but Geld storage, where the
temperature is held at about 81 degrees
F. is the ideal method. As between
bhhhAAIS anu EDA1aAAiIS Ailt HitAA III iil'
light and in cold storage, there is but lit
tie choice. Budding is accomplished by
spreading the potatoes one layer deep
on the barn floor wherever they Will get
light, but are not exposed to direct sun
light This is done several weeks before
time of planting. Potatoes treated III
this manner come up in about one week
and grow with astonishing rapidity.
Cold storage potatoes are a few days
later in coming up, but mature at the
same time. Contrary to expectations,
the best results have been secured i'll
using medium and late varieties for late
planting. Usually as large crop is not
secured by late as by early planting, but
the advantages lie in being able to fol
low early crops in this manner aud i'll
securing better seed because of the SUI
perior keeping qualities of late grown
potatoes.
1t has been found advantageous to
immense seed potatoes not more than
one hour in the corrosive sublimate So
luton in the treatment to prevent potato
oNdD A1ttb lltidiOtHf BiONit llOiIi bltabtNl
seed and planted on land free from scab,
may produce tubers almost free from
scab. The treatment for potato scab
does little or no good if the potatoes are
planted ON land infested with scab 1t
Is good plan to treat seed potatoes
some time before planting, and to dry
before storing. Spraying to prevent po-
co. 10 HI, hoe f,i,.o,, al, 30
possibly because the 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
another. 1t is essential to reject diseased
tubers, to keep the bugs in check and to
plant on ground where potatoes have
not been grown for year or two. In
spraying, six ounces of paris green
should be used to barrel of bordeaux
mixture.
Thorough cultivation is important, so
as to prevent the waste of moisture and
to keep up vigorous growth, as IA
means Of rendering the plants somewhat
resistant to blight.
The most promising of the new early
varieties are Burr's No. /, Bovee, Early
Michigan, Early Thoroughbred and Van
Qrmans No. 80. The most promising
of the new late varieties are Carman
No 3, Country Gentleman Enormous,
Flagle, Livingston, 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 purposes, but not for general
cultivation. American Wonder, Carman
Nos. and 3, Early Norther, Early
Harvest, Rural New Yorker No. 3, Sir
William and Wise have been tested suf-
foiently to warrant recommending them
for general cultivation.