Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-09-20
POT AT CULTURE

u,o most common objection urged
...t nlanting large seed pieces is,
next to the expense the danger of
..ote Hills so crowded with stalks
consequently with tubers that a
large proportion OF the potatoes never
,srelop to marketable size. This OBJ
..otion is probably valid for entire tu-
,ors and also for halves planted very
close in the row. The evidence avail
ohio does not permit us to conclude
that in the case Of quarters used as
seeds there results any injurious
croWding, and it may be questioned
whether halves give rise to this trou
blp when planted under favorable cir
cumstances and at considerable dis
tanee apart.
The number Of stalks that can be
adyantage0usly grown in each hill
varies greatly with variety, season.
soif and distance apart. At the In
diana station it was found that when
uncut tubers of one to five ounces
were planted in nills three feet apart
the gross yield of large potatoes and
the net yield of large potatoes increae
ed with every increase in the number
Of stalks per hill up to nine stalks for
Burbank and eight stalks for Beauty of
Hebron, growing in both cases from
tubers weighing four and one-half
ounces Eight stalks per hill would
probably be excessive fer distances
! less than three feet each way. In ex-
perimenting in Maine, extending over
several years. six stalks per hill gave
larger yields than four or two stalks
the amount of seed planted being the
same in each case.
Distance Between Plants.
In deciding on the proper distance
at which to plant popatoes it is neces-
sary to take into consideration the
SIZE of the seed piece that is to be
employed. In general small seed
pieces should be planted close and the
distance allotted to each hill should be
greater as the weight of the piece is
increased. Close planting for small
cuttings is best attained not by mar
rowing the row to less than two and
one-half or three feet (for if the dis
tance is much less the horse cultiva
ton becomes di1iculD, but by plant
ing the seed pieces close together in
the row.
To frame a general rule giving best
distances for seed pieces of different
sizes is plainly impossible, for the dis
tance at which the largest yields are
obtained depends also on the variety
the season, the soil and the fertilizers
However. the results of some of the
Investigations covering this matter af
ford help in deciding on the proper
distance under varying conditions.
1t has been shown that if very small
cuttings are used, and if the soil is
fertile, the distance can be reduced
to six or nine inches without sacrific-
ing the yield, provided the season hap
pens to be favorable, but this is not
generally advisable.
On rich soil cuttings of considerable
size can be advantageously planted as
close as twelve inches.
Checking effects a saving of labor
IN cultivation and also in planting and
harvesting, when these latter Opora
lions are performed by hand hence,
expensive labor and the abundance of
machines for planting and harvesting
the crop are conditions in favor OF
checking. For planting in checks a
variety may be chosen, which makes
large growth of vines and which
forms many tubers in each hill, thus
more completely utilizing the space at
is disposal than could a variety with
f,,1, Tn, oh X
Ing there is danger on rich soil that
some of the tubers may grow to an
objectionable size. Potato growers in
attempting to obtain phenomenal
yield, as in contests for prizes, almost