The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-06
Early Irish Potatoes.

For the early crop, we select, if possible. a light, sandy loam that will not produce less than a bale of cotton to the acre. We like to have 1t turned in early winter with a two-horse blow and follow in the furrow and lift the subsoil with a subsoil- blow or a four inch scooter on a single blow. By doing this, we are able to hold the winter rains as our potatoes suffer all most every year by drought, when not irrigated.
 At planting time we run a cutaway harrow over the land to thoroughly pulverize, and lay off rows with a shovel blow, three feet apart and four to five inches deep.
 For fertilizers we use the following Acid phosphate IA per cent. i 900 lbs. Cotton seed meal. .. ...... 600 lbs. Nitrate of soda. .. ........ 200 lbs. Muriate of potash. .. ...... 200 lbs.
 Use 1000 to 1.5O0 pounds per acre before planting, thoroughly mixing in the furrow with a scooter-plow or a This is important, as most cases of burning or injury to the seed can be attributed, not so much to the amount of fertilizer used, as to lack of thor ough mixing.
 If the land is lacking in humus (vegetable matter) and was not in cow peas the previous summer, we some- times give the land a fair dressing of stable manure, G5 two-horse loads per acre) which we thoroughly cutaway into the top soil before breaking, which tends to pulverize all Jumps, and the soil more thoroughly pulverized than breaking.
 If the soil is fairly we'll supplied with humus we would rather dispense with the stable manure, as it tends to en- courage scab fungus. Dot not use cot tonseed, |as they do not become avail able soon enough for the potatoes
 We plant nothing but the Red Tri- umph" as 1t is the best extra early we have ever tried. By getting healthy. plump seed, free from scab, we have had so little of this disease as to not pay to treat them.
 Cut seed pieces in two eyes, and drop twelve Inches apart in rows. Cover with two furrows, leaving a slight ridge over the rows. When the seeds are sprouted and nearly out run a Ismoothing harrow crossways over the rows, which will all but level down the ridge. As the plants are showing along the rows, go over them with the weed CT, taking two rows at a time. The after-cultivation should be often, but shallow, using a Planet, Jr., or other cultivator with sweeps. Never a crust form, thus conserving all moisture pos sible.
 We plant last week in February, up to the middle of March, and begin dig ging by the time they are the size of good-sized hen eggs. In the absence of a potato digger. we run a shovel blow under the row, which gets them about all out. We have had no expe- rience in shipping, as we raise entirely for our home market.
 For the Colorado potato beetle. which every one has learned to dread, we use Paris green and slacked lime, two pounds of green to one busheI of lime mixing thoroughly. We find a Leg getts dry powder duster very good for putting this on, and If done early in the morning, when the leaves are damp sticks well and Is effective.
 For the grower who has but a small area, the dust can be put on by placing it in coarse-woYen gunny sack and shake over the row, which can be done almost as fast as you can walk.
 Hand picking is probably the safest plan for the home garden.-Mark Rie- gel in Southern Cultivator.