The Somerset reporter., 1901-05-02
Somerset County.


Following are The reports published in
recent Agricultural bulletin on the subject
OF potatoes written by Somerset county
correspondents
SKowHEGAN-To successfully grow
potatoes in this section of the state light
loan is the best, and new ground is
better than old. A light dressing from
the stables plowed under, soil thoroughly
pulvetized to good depth, burrows made
with a small pillow to the depth of four
inches, from ten to twelve hundred
pounds of potato phosphate strewn In
the burrows, and the best of the potatoe>
for seed, with constant care throughout
the season, will ensure paying crop
There. are so many varieties that ii is
difficult to tell the best. For an all
around potato the Beauty of Hebron Is
hard to beat. have held on to this
variety for thirty years, and discarded
many others that came forward with big
flourish but soon proved failure, Some
OF the mos i'm oortant points that should
be remembered are First Do not ex
pect to produce good quality of potatoes
on wet, soggy land. Second: Keep the
vines free from weeds and bugs Third
Never boil potatoes, but steam them.
S. F. EMERSON.
NORTH ANsoN-We find the best soil
for potatoes TO be the old sheep pastures
plowed in the fall. with manure plowed ia
when barn manure is used. When a
good crop is desired, rather than an early
crop. it is better not to plant before the
first OF June. The varieties mostly raised
about here are the early ones that grow
quickly and need the most favorable con-
dltions, and fertilizer that is in the most
available form for immediate use as plant
food. Therefore the commercial fertil
izers are used to good advantage.
know of no method OF raising good crop
without hard work The old method OF
killing up with horse hoe and following
by hand work has brought the best re-
suits. A fair crop can be grown without
the hand hoe, but the weeds will be in
evidence. GEORGE FLINT.
CAMBRIDGE-With potatoes, as with
all other products of the farm. it is best to
produce the varieties that the market de-
n,ands, and that will bring the highes,
price. As white stock is in best demand,
and the Green Mountain the best selling
white variety, it would seem to be the
most profitable for the Maine farmer at
the present time. Light soil. liberal
quantity of high grade fertilizer. good
cultivator with long wings or Killers. and
plenty of Bug Death or Paris Green are
quite necessary articles in potato culture
ORA b. Quincy.
SoLoN-L plant my potatoes on land
broken in the fall dressed with barnyard
dressing plowed in, with phosphate III
the hill plant on dry ground, the
dryer the ground the better, with good re-
suits. | consider the potato valuable for
food both for man and beast
STEPHEN MERRILL.
LEXINGToN-I think the best soil for
potatoes is light or sandy loan, we'll
dressed with old stable manure, and a
good supply of fertilizer of some kind. |
spray with Paris Green twice or three
times. think we should be careful 10
plant no potatoes that have any scab or
rust on them, and should plant fair sized
ones, no very small ones. I~,hink it
makes but little difference whether the
blowing is done In the spring or fall. |
The main thing is to have the grounu
mellow and well dressed. usually get
the best results on newly broken up land,
as the potatoes are not as apt to rot.
john Fl. GREEN
FAIRFIELD-Almost any soil that CON-
tains no witchgrass will grow potatoes. il
good coating of barn dressing be well
plowed under in the spring and small
quantity of hen manure well narrowed in,
with a spoonful of ashes in the hill and
another of a good fertilizer around the
plants just before hoeing One must be
his own Judge in regard to the quantity of
fertilizer to be applied. Dressing that is
plowed under will not cause scab. While
dressing does not usually, directly cause
the scab, still it is partly the cause when
coming in contact with the potatoes.
WILL P. WINSLoW