The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-06-09

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light on the leaves of the potato plant
and then work down into the plant.
Some one asked if the moon affected
in any manner the planting of pota-
toes and Mr.. Bush remarked that he
did not think that the moon was in
anyway interested in potato raising.
Mr.. Terry said that it was all right to
plant potatoes when the moon was
full for at that time one could see to
work very we'll.
Mr. Bush said that the estimated
cost in raising his potatoes was ten
cents bushel.
The talk on the cultivation of pota-
toes was closed by Mr.. Terry who
urged upon the farmers the necessity
of keeping down all weed growth. He
never allowed weed to show itself
above ground. Weeds remove the
plant food and water from the soil.
He said that he could carry every weed
from ten-acre field on his farm in
his arms. It requires 400 tons of wa
ter to grow ton of weed hay. The
water and plant food in the soil should
be made to grow potatoes and not
weeds.
Fairfield. Gives an Interesting Talk on
How to Prepare and Treat Seed Potatoes.
The afternoon session of the insti-
tute closed with a talk by S. j. Fair
field on how to prepare and treat seed
potatoes. He illustrated his talk with
his charts which those who attended
the institute two years ago will re-
member, and what he had to say was
practically the same.
He gave an illustration on the chart
of barrel which will hold about
three and half bushels of potatoes
and which he has suspended on posts
SO that he can tip the barrel and
empty it of its contents very readily.
In this he prepares his corrosive sub
Innate with which he always treats his
seed stock. He soaks his. stock sew
eral hours, in fact he stated that once
by mistake he left a barrel of seed
stock in the solution over night and
used the stock which grew we'll. He
generally uses the solution from
half to One-third stonger than is usu-
ally used and with the solution this
strength he soaks the stock about an
hour. After they have been soaked he
turns the potatoes out onto boards
where they can dry. In employing the
barrel he tips it over crate, saving
the solution which he uses over and
over, and a barrel of the mixture will
treat $50 bushels of potatoes. There
is no special difference in drying the
potatoes, but if they are dried in the
sun they should be planted at once
after they become dry. Always i'm
merse the whole potatoes and never
after they are cut. In cutting the po-
tatoes for seed he cuts one eye to a
seed, but never cuts the Ohio type of
potatoes so close. With the latter
type of potatoes he usually cuts about
500 pieces to the bushel, and for later
varieties the stock is cut into thous-
and pieces. AS regarded the seed end
OF the potato he said that he never
paid any attention to that part of the
potato when cutting for seed. In plant
ing he placed his stock in drills thirty
nine inches apart with five rows to a |
rod, allowing one piece for each plant.
He told about treating his potatoes
with Paris green and said that he used |
machine that operated like fan and |
would throw the mineral we'll over the |
leaves of the plants. It was so ar
ranged that he could walk between two |
rows and blow the Paris green onto J.!
both rows at the same time. The ma
chine worked with a crank and was
easily managed, and did the work
we'll. 1t was not any use to mix the
Paris green with water or make a
paste Of it as in Treating in this way
the mixture would lodge in a. few
places and leave the rest for the bugs
to attack. In using with water the
Paris green being mineral it would |
run to the edge of the water on the
plant and leave that part of the vine
which the water covered fresh for the
bugs. He could Paris green ten acres
after four o'clock, working of course
until late at night with bright moon
to help him. When the wind was high |
he would wait until it died down and |
he said he used about three and
quarter pounds to an acre.
After few remarks by Terry on
potato diggers and their operation
the institute was closed.