The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-15

DEPARTMENT
How to Grow Big Crops of Potatoes.

Potato crops have been Largely IN
creased during the last few years, until
now they have become not only one OF
our staples, but also indispensable crop;
that is. the potato is now so universally
used for food that we could hardly ger
along without them, nor can we ma any
crop which could well be used as SUD
sttute for the potato. Now when say
that the crop is largely on the increase
mean thai the acreage has been in
creased steadily from year to year for
the past decade, and while this has been
the case the yield per acre remains
about the same that 1t has been for
years.
There seems to have been but few eff
forts put forth to increase the yield. Now
the question is, would it not be far bet
ter to grow more potatoes on less land,
or if we are now growing potatoes
enough to supply all demands, would it
not be economy to grow this quantity of
potatoes on less land-say on. about half
of the present acreage now utilized? Or
in other words would it not be more
profitable. rather than to have so extern
sive a SYSTEM not only for potatoes, but
for many other crops, to do a more ex-
tensive system of farming? 1 know that
in this country we have as yet an
abundance of land but, at the same time
we never have an excess of labor.
Labor is becoming harder to secure and
niger priced every year, and 1t seems
that If the labor expended on ten acres
of potatoes was half of it used on five
acres and this five acre tract made to
produce even more than the ten acres is
producing, that this would be economy
The work ON the five acres could be done
with fewer horses and less feed. and so
another big saving made. Now l notice
that in travelling over the country and
have looked over the potato situation as
they are grown over a scope of country
twelve hundred miles north and south,
and nearly that far east and west and
and nearly that far east and west
that the crop ranges from fifty
to 200 bushels per acre. Now the
question is, can the crop be brought up
to double these yields? 1 have proven
by repeated experiments that this can be
done. This is by no means an impossi-
bility, but something which any intelli-
gent farmer may accomplish. l will now
try and tell the reader how he may double
his present yield of potatoes, provided he
Is not now growing over two hundred
bushels per acre. Now do not understand
me to mean that where fifty bushels only
are grown, that you may grow two hum
bred, but you may increase your fifty
bushels up to one hundred bushels.
will first notice the matter of
Soil.
There are at least two plants-wheat
and the potato plant-that delight to
thrive best in new virgin soils. The po-
tato must have a soil after this order in
order to produce immense yields Where
one does not happen to have this new
rich, deep loan, the next best thing is
to prepare. far as possible, soil of
this order. This can be done by the use
of clovers and other legumes, such as
stock peas velvet BEANS or by other
vine crops grown on the land the pre-
vious year.
The soil must be well supplied with
humus-decayed vegetable matter, in
der for it to retain a sufficient amount
of moisture to produce a crop OF potatoes.
If good field of red clover can be had.
this would be best. Land that will pro-
duce from fifty to seventy-five bushels of
good sound corn should give four or five
hundred bushels of potatoes when prop
erly managed. A good deep, rich loan
is best, also many of our clay soils are
fine producers This sandy soil should be
avoided, as 1t generally contains very
little potash, which is very essential in
the growing of potatoes
Preparing the Soil.
After a suitable soil has been Sc
lected, the next thing in order is the
preparing of the soil. Different soils need
different treatment. but the one thing
needful is to prepare a deep, rich, mel
low soil, one in which the tubers may
grow large, smooth and wel-shaped..
A great many soils would be greatly
benefited by tile drainage. for fine po-
tatoes cannot be grown in wet soggy
water-soaked soil Then again many
soils, especially heavy clay soils. would
be greatly benefited by being well sub
soils In fact. it is almost impossible to
grow a good crop of potatoes without
commencing a year ahead in preparing
the soil There is no use wasting time
and money trying to grow potatoes on
old, heavy, worn-out clay soils. or on
old, white. thin, sandy '~~as. Where land
is wanted for potatoes next season and
has to be used for growing a crop of corn
this season, some of our elovers or rye
should be sown in the corn in early Sep
TENDER, and this crop turned under early
the next spring. Another important mat
ter is that stock should never be allowed
to tramp the soil, neither should the soil
ever be plowed when wet, but always
worked when dry
The soil should be plowed early in
the season as possible Pillow and harrow
the sol; perfectly fine, after having put
In the necessary drainage, when drainage
Is necessary, and while 1t is preferable
to have the soil well worked before plant
ing, yet planting should not be delayed in
order to first break the land, where the
soil Is in good healthy condition, and
has not been run over and trodden by
stock the planting may be done without
breaking the soil. I will relate here some
experiments | have made along this line.
1t frequently happens that we have a
wet spring and all farm work gets be-
lated, and you do not find that you can
pillow the soil before the time has arrived
for planting This con1.,ion prevailed
last season, and we now have the same
conditions confronting us this season.
Now, in this case, l have frequently
tried the following plan with entire sat
faction Mark off the land in the man.
ner the rows are wanted, furrow out with
good shovel plow, cover with a diamond
nine-inch plow, throwing two burrows
and thus leaving the land in small
ridges with the middle unbroken which
can be done later, as I will explain later
This way 1 economic my weather
and use the few good days I get in plant
ing instead of breaking. Then, again.
there is another big advantage in this
method. for if the season is a wet one.
and one only gets one or two days in the
week between showers, and uses these
in breaking, the broken soil will hold
moisture longer, an .Lus delay the plant
ing.
Planting.
This, too, Is important part of the
work, and it is very important that, this
too should be we'll looked to, and that the
Cron he nTanfad inst carly IN, the GOO