The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1901-07-11
ABOUT IRISH POTATOES
QUESTIONS CONCERNING THEIR
CULTIVATION ARE ASKED
AND >MERED.
FORMULA IS SUGGESTED
Enemies OF the Plant and How to
Thwart Their Depredations-The
Best Soil-VIews OF Chemist.

A gentleman who desires to expert
ment with Irish potatoes as q revenue
crop asks for advice on the the following
points:
~. The most available potato for
shipping purposes.
(2). The best time to plant so as to
bring the potatoes into market in time
to miss the first crop of southern pota-
toes and the regular annual crop of
northern potatoes.
(3). Character and amount of manu-.
featured fertilizer likely to ensure the
largest yield.
Answers TO the above questions:
~. The Irish potato in highest es-
TEEN among the truck farmers on the
Atlantic coast near Savannah is the
pink Eye" or EARLY Rose"
(s) The best time to plant so as to
come between the first crop of southern
patotoes and the regular annual crop of
northern potatoes is in February or early
March.
(3) The following formula for Irish
potatoes is suggested by DR.. McCand-
less, our state chemist:
Nitrate of soda. ............ 800 pounds
Cottonseed meal. .... 600 pounds
Acid phosphate GA per cent? 800 pounds
Sulphate Of potash. .. 800 pounds
1900 pounds
Use from $50 to 500 pounds to the acre.
according to the fertility of the soil. Mu-
riate of potash may be used instead Of
sulphate if the latter cannot be easily
had.
We have heard "Armour's Helmet
Brand Potato Fertilizer" recommended
in very flattering terms.
Best Soil For Irish Potatoes.
Irish potatoes give the best results in
q rich sandy loan, neither too wet, nor
too dry. II the season should be q wet
one, clay subsoil would be unfavor.
able to the growth Of the potato. A
calcareous soil can generally be counted
ON for producing crop large and of
fine quality. When the soil contains
but little lime, it is we'll to use this as a
fertilizer.
The inverted sod Of an old pasture is
good for the Irish potato. When such a
sod is used, little we'll rotted compost
should be narrowed in upon it. A com.
post made OF muck and leached ashes
makes an excellent manure for this crop.
Enemies of the Potato.
The potato rot is disease not thor
Oughly understood and no etfectual
remedy has yet been discovered for
plants affected by it. The only thing
that can prevent spreading is the de-
struction of all infected stems and
leaves. In localities where other crops
have been destroyed by the rot, RENE
dy is found by the use of lime in the
hills and by occasional busting of the
| growing plant with it. Sometimes field
attacked by the rot has been saved by
moving off the top of the plants.
1t has been found that crops on which
commercial fertilizers have been used
are less liable TO this disease than those
where composts OF various kinds and
farm manures have been applied to the
soil.
The potato bug or Colorado beetle is
a destructive pest. Arsenic of copper,
generally known as paris green, is the
most effectual remedy against this trou.
blesome insect, but it must be used with
the greatest caution, and nothing In
which it has been placed should ever be
used for any other purpose. State Ag.
ricultural Department
THE LUSCIOUS STRAWBERRY