Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-16
A TALE FROM MONTANA
THIRTY THOUSAND BUSHELS OF
POTATOES TO AN ACRE.
A Man Proposes to Grow Them in
Layer on Layer and Have No
Vines Above Ground.
Great Falls Cor. Anaconda standard

Great Falls Cor. Anaconda STANDARD
\ resident of Great Falls has either
made one of the greatest discoveries OF
the age in agriculture or he is one OF the
greatest fakirs of the time, and at present
those whom he has taken into his con-
fidence are willing to give him the benefit
of the doubt. w. ID. Darst n cook resid-
ing at No 2l5 sth street south. declares
that he has perfected process by which
an indefinite quantity of potatoes may be
forced to grow on any tract OF ground at a
cost of not to exceed s. a ton. He asserts
that he easily raise 10000 bushels of
potatoes to the every sixty days and
that he is satisfied that much greater
yield be secured
Something concerning the experiment has
heretofore been made public. but until
this time Mr.. Darst has refused to permit
his name to be used. He now declares
that he has been notified by the United
States patent office that his applications for
patents have been approved, and he de-
clareS that soon as his patents shall
have been received he will reveal his secret
and will demonstrate to the public that he
Is telling the truth.
Potatoes Without Vines.
Darst has been a resident of Montana
for about six years. coming to the state
from Chicago. He was employed in Helena
for more than three years and about two
and one-half years ago came to Great Falls
as chef at the Hotel Grand. He recently
gave up his position and has been defOtlnE
his whole time to gardening and to per
fecting his pota to raising process IL peiis
his design to raise potatoes entirely under
ground without permitting any sprout CT
vine to appear above the surface lie
claims he has done this and that he can
cause potatoes to grow wholly uhuetsrou"u'
one LAYER of potatoes on top OF anotheF'
He says he has caused potatoes 10 eFow
in this way with layers to "A depth OF m
teen feet in which depth there would pe
enough layers to produce thirty thousand
bushels of potatoes to the acre; ana ne
declares there is no reason why they should
not be planted to a much greater uepth,
with a corresponding increase iii the yie'd
acre.
Darst declares the secret lies In the conn
position of preparation that taxes the
place of soil 1t Is upon this mixture that
he claims to have secured patent no
saws that layer of this mixture, three or
four inches deep, may be placed In Dok.
with eyes of potatoes; on this nrst layer
may be placed another layer of the mixture
with potato eyes scattered through II; ana
so on one layer on top OF another, until
the box has been filled. Then the mixture
may be heated, he declares, and growth OF
potatoes will commence and progress rap
idly in each of the numerous layers. He
claims that all that Is necessary IS to Keep
the mixture at growing temperature ana
to water 1t every two weeks. and that with
in sixty days from the time OF planting
the eyes there will be a crop OF perfect po-
tatoes in each layer in the box. all the tu-
beers being of about the size of hens egg.
All this, he claims. Will result without
vine sprout appearing above the surface
In his experiments Darst has heated the
contents of his box by means of a steam
coil. but he declares this is unnecessary
and that the heat of the sun will suffice in
summer IL the box be covered with glass.
He terms his box an incubator. The one
he has used is small one, but he claims
the same results may be secured in box
of any depth. length or width.
Potatoes in Sixty Days.
He claims he has demonstrated he can
produce In a box fifteen feet deep and COW
ering 43 $50 square feet thirty thousand
| bushels of new potatoes every sixty days.
and secure six such crops every year He
| claims such a box, covering one acre, with
| the required heating apparatus, may be
constructed for s., 800, and that the cost OF
his compound and of the labor will amount
to 81 ton. He declares that at certain
seasons he can market all the potatoes ne
can supply in Chicago at cents pound.
If he received only l cent pound his
yield acre. on investment of $2..oO
and expenditure of $500 for labor and
materials, would be slS.OoO an acre, &C
cording to his figures.
Darst declares his potatoes are not only
"vineless'' or "topless." but that they are
also eyeless. He asserts they are as smooth
as an apple, having eyes. and that he
must secure his seed supply from others,
not being able to raise seed by his process.
He declares the potatoes are OF excellent
quality and will keep well as any.
To a very few friends Darst has shown
his experimental plant and some of the po-
tatoes he claims to have raised therein.
Several professional men of the city. In
GLIDING one physician. have made an in
spection. They will not accept DarstS
statements true, but they are In such a
frame of mind that they will not declare
he is attempting to deceive. and they are
waiting for him 10 make the public demon
stration that he now promises
Darst claims he has been offered Sl1NO
for his invention. but that he has decided
to hold a controlling interest in his patent
and sell only enough to secure the money
he needs to operate on large scale.