The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-08-03
The Potato CrOp.

The failure of the potato crop last
year is the cause which prompted
many farmers to devote greatly
increased acreage to that crop this
year, but whether the result will be
any more satisfactory than that of last
year if the methods of culture are en-
ployed which have prevailed in former
years, remains to be seen.
Some months ago we published an
interview with George T. Powell in
which he stated, as his opinion, that
potatoes could never again be sue
cessfully grown in Columbia county
unless different methods were en-
ployed in cultivating and caring for
the crop. In order to show that I'M
der certain conditions old Columbia
county is still capable of producing
tubers of both good size and quality,
his specially on his farm at Client
this year is potatoes, and up to the
present time he has had excellent
success with them, and it is due al
most entirely to a warfare waged
against the potato enemies with Bor-
deaux mixture. Three acres are de-
voted to potatoes which were planted
April 20. On the 25th day of May they
received their first spraying and the
vines at that time were about three
inches high. Bordeaux mixture and
Paris green were combined and ap-
piled. Before the potatoes were plant
ed the ground was SUBSIDIZED and mu-
rate of potash and bone were used at
the rate of 600 pounds to the acre. In
each instance single eye of the pc
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one foot apart in rows which are two
feet distant from each other. The Sec
ond spraying occurred ten days after
the first and subsequently at intervals,
Mr.. Powell says there is no fixed rule
as to the frequency of the applications
other than to spray whenever it is nee
essary. The mixture should not be al
! lowed to become entirely removed from
the plants. 1t is important to spray as
soon as possible after heavy rain
storm.
The recent wet season has been I'M
usually favorable for fungus develop
ment and blight and the Bordeaux
mixture is the more effective when APP
piled before the plants contain the fun
gus growth than afterward. The mix
ture is preventive, not cure. 1t is
important to keep it constantly on the
foliage as an attack may come in forty
eight hours.
Another enemy of the potato grower
which needs watching is the potato
beetle, minute black insect which
punctures the leaf and gives it the ap
pearance of having been perforated AND
from the edges of these holes the fun
gus spreads rapidly. At the present
time Mr.. Powell's potatoes promise q
yield of three hundred bushels to the
acre. The plants are of good size
hardy, vigorous and possess healthy
color. The quality of the potato de-
ponds upon the perfection of the plant
When the foliage becomes dead the re-
suit is an imperfect potato both in
point of flavor and size. The blight
starts on the leaf and extends down.
ward into the tuber. 1t follows down
the stalk when the stalk becomes dis
eased and follows the stem out to the
branches which extend to the tubers.
The disease continues until the tubers
are rotted.
There are two forms of the blight
one affects the foliage and does not re
suit in rot but the growth of the potato
is checked; the other affects the stems
and tubers and produces the potato rot
The farmer who is persistent in the
use of the Bordeaux mixture however
will not, in Mr.. Powell's opinion, expe
rience serious difficulty in raising {
good crop of potatoes this year ever
under the adverse conditions which
prevail.
AS there may be some who do no
know the composition of the mixture OF
may have forgotten it we again presen
the formula: "Six pounds sulphate O
copper, four pounds lime, four ounces
Paris green dissolved in fifty gallons Of
water" This mixture, said Mr.. Pow
ell, is like an insurance policy on thu
potato crop.-Practical Dairyman.
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