Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1903-04-03
the COUNTY FARMERS, !. INSTITUTE
An Interesting Paper on POta-
to Culture by Ed. NIOscrip
OF Harrisburg.
j, w, Brenner Gives Some Good
Points on How to Care
for Cows.
POTATO CULTURE-ED. ,MOSCRIP.

POTATO CULTURE-ED. MOSCRIP.
The best soil for potato raising, per.
haps is that varying between a sandy
and gravelly loan and clay loan.
But there are thousands of acres in
South Dakota we'll adapted to potato
culture. Always select high ground,
and never be deluded with the idea,
that low ground is better adapted for
the purpose; for the high ground in a
dry season, will retain moisture longer
than the low ground, and if the season
is wet the low ground will be too moist,
and cause an entire failure of crop,
FLOWING. ....
would not advise fall plowing, for
the reason that potatoes do not require
rs firm seed bed as wheat, but flourish
best in a light loose soil, and weuld
plow in the spring at least eight inches
deep and smooth down with smooth
ing harrow, as soon as plowed to pre-.
vent drying ont. .~...
MANUREs AND THEIR APPLICATION.
Iwould not advise putting on fresh
barnyard manure, the same year that
wanted to use the ground for potatoes.
It causes scab on potatoes because it
does not get thoroughly mixed with the
soil, but if you have fine we'll rotted
manure, use all you want and don't be
afraid that you will ruin your crop, but
with course manures, I would advise
raising some other crop the first year.
WHEN AND HOW TO PLANT.
For this section of country we gener-
ally get the best results by planting
early, but have seen some fine crops
raised by late planting. The distance
apart for planting potatoes depends
somewhat on the richness of the soil
They are not like wheat, because on
poor soil, you have to SOW more seed
than you do on rich soil, because on
rich soil wheat stools heavier than on q
light soil, and this is the reverse with
potatoes, because on the rich soil they
will find more plant food, therefore
will stand being planted closer togeth-
er than on a light SOIL Three feet
eight inches between rows find to be
about the right distance, and dropped
in drills from sixteen to twenty inches
apart gives very satisfactory results if
the soil is rich.
SHALL WE PLANT DEEP OR SHALLOW.
This will depend some on the season
but have found that about four inches
gives very good results.
WHAT VARIETIES SHALL WE RAISE.
There is a great difference of opinion
among the farmers of any community,
and will leave that to their own selec-
tion but will mention a few varieties,
EARLY Ohio, Beauty of Hebron, New
Queen, Rural New Yorker and Free
men, #..+
SELECTION AND CARE OF SEED.
My usual practice has been to use for
seed only nice smooth perfect shaped,
we'll matured tubers, of medium size.
What farmer would think of sowing
his wheat screenings for seed, or plant
ing the corn from the poorest ears he
could find, not one, they select their
best corn or at least good average and
SOW good wheat or clean it up and SOW
the best, why not do as we'll with the
potato. ..
~ CARE OF SEED.
After picking ont the tubers for seed.
they should be stored in cool dry Gel
lar, where the temperature is only q
few degrees above the freezing point,
to keep them from sprouting, for the
first sprouts are stronger and produce
more vigorous tops than potatoes plant
ed that had sprouted and to be broken
off before planting.
CUTTING SEED.
Potatoes cut to one eye in piece if
the soil is rich will produce more uni.
form crop in size, than if cut larger,
but this will depend largely on the con-
dition of the soil and mode of cultiva-
tion.
HOW TO CARE FOR THE CROP.
If the planter is used to put in the
crop, the drills all show plainly so one
can cultivate as we'll before the pota-
toes come up as after. in fact better.
I would leave them after planting un.
til they are about ready to come up