Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-05-07
THE POTATO
WHAT THE APRIL BOARD BULLETIN HAS
To SAY ABOUT 1T.

WHAT THE APRIL BOARD BULLETIN HA'
To SAY ABOUT 1T.
The Importance of the potato crop /:
fully realized by but very few people
In fact, it has become the principal fooC
crop of modern times. 1t is consumed
nearly or quite every day in the yeal
upon the tables of the rich and of the
poor. 1t is staple food for the masses
in all countries.
The worlds production of the potato
is placed at four thousand million bush
els, while that of wheat is but two thou
sand, five hundred millions, corn two
thousand, six hundred millions, rye
about one thousand, three hundred mil
lions, and barley less than seven hundred
and fifty million bushels. Europe pro-
duces two and one-half times as many
bushels of the potato as she does OF
wheat. The total production of all ce-
reals in Europe is only one and one-half
times her potato crop. The states pro-
ducing the potato for the market to any
great extent are New England, New
York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
the Dakotas, Colorado, Utah, and New
Mexico. The southern states are begin
ming to assume some importance because
of quite large quantities grown for ex-
port, and the early shipment of these
goods north tends TO lessen the late de-
mand for, and to lower the prices of,
Maine potatoes.
The potato differs from the cereals, in
that it is but seldom imported or export
ed to or from foreign countries. 1t only
is sold between different states of the
same country, as rule. But while this
condition exists, it does have quite lit
tie to do in fixing the prices of other
food products. The potato is a compan-
ion to the pioneer. 1t goes hand in hand
with primitive agriculture, and gener-
ally is the first money crop TO go from
the soil of new countries. This is par
ticularly noticeable in the newer sections
of our own state. The yield of potatoes
in the United States is not far from 200,-
O00, 600 bushels This amount has been
exceeded but once or twice. The nor
NAL yield in Maine in 1900, as taken
from the Crop Reporter was 6,2OO,-
EOS bushels. In 1895, we had 4 phenOm-
enal yield, reaching S,0O0,000 bushels,
while in 1897, the year that the rust first
struck Aroostook county, the yield ran
as low Us 5000, 900 bushels. 1t is expect
ed that the recent valuable work of the
Maine Experiment Station in Aroostook
County will lead to general use of the
Bordeaux mixture by the farmers OF
that section, and that, by its use, the
crop will be freed in great measure from
one of the greatest dangers that now
menace it.
ITS HISTORY.
Royle. in his Botany of the Himalaya
Mountains, says: 1.-The Old World is in
debted to the New World for the potato.
1t was first found. in wild state, in
thirty-three degrees south latitude, in
the mountains near Valparaiso, about
1850"
There appears to be no doubt but that
the potato was cultivated in South
America. at the time of the discovery of
America by Columbus. 1t has always
been introduced into new countries
against great opposition, curious devices
sometimes having been resorted to for
the purpose of calling the attention of
the people TO its great food value. 1t
was more than one hundred years after
the landing OF the Pilgrims before the
New England farmer included the potato
among his garden crops. 1t is said that
the potato was first brought to New
England by party of ScOtch-lrish en-
igrantS who settled in Londonderry, New
Hampshire, in the year l1l9.
In the year 1862, the scarcity of Indian
corn in New England led to the rapid in-
PRODUCTION of the potato. Ii was, how
ever, grown in very limited quantities
for many years. The tmnip, parsnip,
and carrot were then considered of far
more consequence than the potato.
THE CULTIVATION OF POTATOES.
The potato thrives best on light,
clay loan soil 1t should be well
drained, either naturally or artificially.
If barn manureS are used, they should be
plowed in, even if, by SO doing, they are
turned under the greensward. Com
mercial fertilizers pay as well or better
ON potatoes than on any other crop.
They may be used literally to good ad-
vantage, either broadcast or in the drill,
or both. They should contain good
per cent. of potash (from eight to tenl,
and the sulphate is always to be desired.
The ground should be well plowed and
thoroughly pulverized to the depth of
the blowing, if possible, then nicely
fined and leveled. 1t should be laid out
in even rows for convenience in tilling
The horse potato planter is a success,
and, with the tubers properly cut, will
not skip as many hills as will generally
be the case when the dropping is done
by hand.
The after cultivation must be done as
largely rs possible with the horse. There
are many makes of cultivators now in
general use, all of which do good work.
Slight hilling is necessary, and it can be
done sufficiently without the use of hoes.
Then, all through the growing season,
the spraying for bugs and blight must
be kept up. A potato dividend is the
price of continual diligence in this direc-
ton.
The potato digger, like the planter,
does good work on land that has been
properly tended through the growing
season. BY the use of these machines,
the labor of growing the crop is reduced
to a minimum, and the cost of produc-
ton to a great degree.
REPLIES FROM CORRESPONDENTS.
AUBURN.-The question of growing
potatoes deserves more thought than we
are giving it. The majority of the farm
ers have given up trying to raise pota-
toes except for their own family use.
Continual warfare with bugs and repeat
ed failure of the crop have brought this
change in what was once our best pay
ing crop. We are making a big mistake,
and should increase the acreage and give
them frequent and clean cultivation.
Plant only the best varieties, and kill
the bugs. We have adopted the plan of
plowing the unproductive pasture land,
and fencing with barbed wire. We plow
under coat of stable manure, and apply
five or six hundred pounds of CONNER
cial fertilizer to the acre in the drill,
doing about all the work with horses,
and get fair crop of very choice pota-
toes. j. l.. LOWELL (Memoer).
PREsQUE IsLE.-In regard to potato
growing in Aroostook County, will say
that, since Mr.. Terry of Ohio lectured