The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-08-11
FARM AND GARDEN,
MATTERS OF INTEREST II. q
AGRlcuLTURISTs.
Some Up-to-Date Hints About Cul-z
tivation Of the Soil and Yields
Thereof-H horticulture. vitlculture and
Horticulture.
Notes on Potato Culture.

Notes on Potato Culture.
Inc question of treatment for potato
bugs IS always a live one. Spraying
! with Paris green is without doubt the
best method for large fields, as it not
only kills the bugs but protects the
vines to great extent. Some potato
growers, however, prefer to pick off Ill
the bugs by hand. While this takes a
great deal Of time, yet it is entirely
feasible. Where children can be hired
to do the work field may be soon
cleared Of the bugs.
In the selection Of seed for the next
year great care should be taken that
all OF the seed be free from any indi-
| cations of the rot. This end can be
attained if the potatoes are selected
from parts of the field where no blight
appears on the leaves. The disease is
| carried over from year to year in the
seed, and if this be carefully selected
it would appear possible to eradicate
some of the potato diseases entirely.
The depth of eye in the potato is
sometimes of great moment, but it has
| it's objections as we'll as its advantages.
The varieties that have deep eyes are
| more suitable for dry land than those
| that have eyes on the surface. The
deep cavities retain the moisture, ana
this is often considerable of help. The
deep eyes are also said to indicate ro-
business, while others contend that at
the same time they also indicate
coarseness. Deep eyes protect the buds
or sprouts against accidents, and thus
they are more sure of sending out
sprouts than any Others. On the other
hand, the deep-eyed potato is objected
to on account of the difficulty of peel
ing it without waste. The deep eyes
compel the cutting away of much of the
potato to get the eyes out, as the eyes
make dark places on the potato that
appear unsightly. They are thus no
potato for mashlng, and as potatoes are
now frequently served in that way, the
objection is permanent.
It would be interesting to know what
effect the size of the potato stalk or
top has on the size Of the potato tuber.
We generally think that a vigorous
top should produce vigorous and
large tuber for the reason that there
is more machinery, if we may call it
that, for the elaboration of material
for the formation of the tuber. All
of the material. that forms the
tuber has to be elaborated from
the top. If the, tubers themselves
are, no larger, then is the ag-
gregate of the tubers of large plant
greater in bulk than from small
plant? What is the observation of the
readers of The Farmers Review in the
matter? It would be valuable fact to
elucidate, as the large tops are objec-
tionable unless they can give some good
reason for their existence. Of course
we know it is sometimes said that a
field of potatoes has all run to tops,
and we have seen such apparent cases,
but we do not know that this bears at
all on the situation. 49,.
Treating Old Strawberry Beds.
This is one of the most, if not the
most, important question that con-
fronts the strawberry grower at this
time of the year, writes o. A. Hammer
in Michigan Fruit Grower. The plants
have just thrown nearly their last
spark of strength into large crop of
fruit, and their vitality must be and is
at very low ebb. Now, if we are to
bring these old devitalized plants back
into a condition of 'fruiting vigor"
again, We must go to work and meet
old Dame Nature-head her off and
turn her into the right channel, and.
presto, it is done as easy as rolling
clear conception of those laws working
in and controlling the life habit of the
strawberry plant. Experimenters and
close students of nature are agreed Up
on the following: The life work cf the
species is to propagate itself; first, by
seed (fruft), and then by division of the
plant (runners). Of course, plant
will make runners before fruiting. and
will fruit after making runners-to a
limited amount; and, if the conditions
were favorable, the difference might
be nearly imperceptible; and, too, vari-
eties differ in this respect, as they have
quite diversity Of habits. But, gen
orally speaking, this RUE may be con-
sidered as fundamental and depended
upon. So in handling the old bed we
must keep the fact in mind that it is
natural for the plant to make runners,
or divide itself into many plants, all
with badly developed, If any, fruit buds.
But II we go to work and keep off the
runners, stimulate the plant into
good, healty growth, we head off nature
and direct her from the plant making
business into the bud making business
"a condition which may properly be
called fruiting vigor' with which 10Th
er conditions being favorable) large
crop may be expected; without which,
failure is certain under favorable con-
ditions. So, in managing an old bed,
the main objects in view should be to
keep the runners off to thin the plants,
SO that each individual plant will have
room to expand and develop; to fer
tilize, If necessary. and to cultivate the