Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-05-07

spray with Bordeaux mixture from three
to five times. Have used Bordeaux MKT
ure six years, with the result that we
have increased the value of our crop at
least 81 900 per year, above all expense
of material and labor. l think Mr.. Ter
ry's lectures in this county were worth
more than the total expense of the Board
of Agriculture for two years.
| Z. E. PARKHURsT.
PHILLIPs.-The best soil for raising
potatoes is piece of old pasture land,
broken up either in spring or fall, with
liberal coat of manure, two-thirds
plowed under and the other third spread
on the burrows and narrowed in. With
about thirty good loads of dressing ap-
piled in the aforementioned way, there
will be no necessity for commercial fer
tilizers. AS all farmers have not pasture
land that they wish to plOw up, or plen-
ty of dressing, would recommend as
the next best method of raising potatoes
the following: Spread twenty loads of
dressing on the greensward. Turn this
under, blowing about eight inches deep.
If plowed in the spring, let the burrows
dry few days, then pulverize thorough
ly with spring tooth harrow, but not
deep enough to disturb the sod. Then
plant in rows, dropping one piece in the
hill, about one foot apart, using one
large spoonful of Bradley's fertilizer or
some other as good. | do not think
much of planters and diggers unless the
land is very smooth and free from stones.
To kill potato bugs, take a pound box
of Paris green, make six holes in one
side of the cover, and shake it on dry
from the box. 1t will not hurt the vines
as badly as when sprinkled on with wa
ter, although it takes more Paris green.
JAMES MORRISON (Member).
BRooKLIN-For potatoes, we deem a
deep loamy soil the best. We believe IN
fall plowing, except on hillsides, where
the land washes badly. | have been a
believer in deep plowing, with good
quantity of manure, so as to enrich all
the ground stirred. With limited
amount of dressing, should say that
shallow plowing would be preferable. l
think potatoes should be exposed to the
open air week or two before planting,
so as to start some strong, hardy sprouts.
| believe in a careful selection of good
sized, well-formed tubers for seed, and
cut in good sized pieces. Potatoes plant
ed whole generally yield too many little
ones at harvesting This is my expert
ence. / think land should be plowed
twice in the spring, and thoroughly pull
verzed before planting. The more land
is worked over before seeding the better.
Use the cultivator often to keep down
the weeds, and afterward the horse hoe.
The chum from our fish-canning facto-
ries, mixed with barn dressing, makes
excellent dressing for potatoes. have
had no experience in the use of plaster,
but think its use in composing highly
beneficial, on account of its power to re-
tain the ammonia, which otherwise is
lost. L. L. COLE.
SKowHEGAN.-To successfully grow
potatoes in this section of the state n
light loan is the best, and new ground
is better than old. A light dressing from
the stables plowed under, soil thorough
ly pulverized to a good depth, burrows
made with a small plow TO the depth of
four inches, from ten to twelve hundred
pounds of potato phosphate strewn in
toes for seed, with constant care through
out the season, will ensure a paying
crop. There are so many varieties that
it is difficult to tell the best. For an all
around potato, the Beauty of Hebron is
hard to beat. l have held on to this va
riety for thirty years, and discarded
many others that came forward with a
big flourish, but soon proved failure.
Some of the most important points that
should be remembered are: First, Do
not expect to produce a good quality of
potatoes on wet, soggy land. Second,
Keep the vines free from weeds and
bugs Third, Never boil potatoes, but
steam them. 5. +. EMERSON.
BUxToN.-For a crop of potatoes,
quality alone considered, the land should
be clay loan. plowed late the previous
fall, thoroughly pulverized with a disk
harrow just before planting, about one
thousand pounds best commercial pota-
to fertilizer sowed broadcast and about
five hundred pounds in the hill, per acre.
Furrow deep for planting, and let the
after cultivation fill the burrows, the last
cultivation of the season leaving the fur
rows but slightly rounded above the
space between the rows. Use no Paris
green, but spray with Bug Death early
in the season and the old beetles will
leave and there will be but few young
ones to deal with. If all weeds are de-
stroyed up to July 4th, there will be no
trouble with them afterwards. If guam
tity be desired regardless of quality, use
about ten cords of barn-yard manure per
acre, with about two hundred and fifty
pounds of fertilizer, the manure being
well worked in and the fertilizer used in
the drill, with the same cultivation as
before. No diggers or planters are used
in this vicinity.
JOHN II. HARMON.