The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-04-07
RAISE POTATOES in NORTH DAKOTA
Can Be Made One of the Most Profitable Side Prod
ucts of the Farm-Greeley Gives
Some Pointers

$50 to the acre by going to Northern
Maine for a large part of his seed DO
tatoes.
In our judgment the demand from
the South for Northern grown seed
has but just begun-certainly for the
Dakota grower. 1t has-and we look for
a great and profitable increase in this
trade. Another thing is already no.
tlceable. and that is that while any
Dakota grown SEED seems to have an
advantage over seed grown elsewhere,
that grown on the slightly dry soils,
even though there he considerable
sand in their makeup, are still better
keepers and give CORRESPONDENCE bet
ter results. And in these drier sec
tons, We believe, if properly handled,
potatoes can be almost as surely grown
as where there is no moisture For
twenty-five years have been growing
potatoes IN small way in Dakota. l
came from famous potato section to
Dakota, from section where many
had become wealthy growing potatoes.
and of coure l thought | knew how to
grow them in Dakota; but few fail
ures taught me that | was mistaken.
Late potatoes did best where | learned
to grow them; a single eye was ample
seed, and deep tillage and chilling up"
were orthodox ways Of getting the
tubers to do their best
These ways, barring the late varie
ties, may be the way to get best re-
suits in the moister parts of the Red
river valley still, but we think not;
and when it comes to the dry sections
or partially dry sections. We know it is
not. Here We find that only the quick.
growing early varieties will do at all.
They should be good keepers and
staple varieties, wanted on the table
and in the South, and. by the way.
only staple varieties should be grown,
and these should be clean and wholly
unmixed if top prices are to be even
thought of. A large, vigorous seed,
too, must be planted in warm, well
too many sprouts. and too many little
potatoes along with lots of big ones.
The half of large potato does better.
but a good sized potato quartered will
do nicely, much better in my expert.
ence than single eyes or whole pota.
toes. The single eye simply will not
| do in dry soils or dry season any
| where. 1t is useless to argue with
| growers who claim that small and
! even little potatoes give as good re-
suits as vigorous, well-grown seed.
| They may for one year, and that IA
vorable one, but no other seed on earth
will, man, beast or vegetable; why
should the potato?
| The tillage should be mostly done
before the potatoes are planted and
| shortly after they are up; and nearly
all this tillege should be done or OF
very near the top, particularly that
| part done after the potatoes are up.
For the very best results we think
! that in most soils the plow'ing should
be done very early in the fall, and the
soils should be dragged very quickly
after blowing to hold the moisture.
If there is any danger from blowing.
a heavy corrugated roller, or, better
| still, a sub-surface packer, should be
run over the surface once before WIN
| ter. two or three times would be bet
| ter, and the field should be given q
light discing or a sharp, vigorous
| dragging. This should be done again
| in the spring the moment the soil 10
workable, and repeated as soon as q
weed shows.
Potatoes put into this kind of soil
are generally free from weeds, have
ample moisture. and grow rank and
vigorous from the start.
AS potatoes shrink heavily, they
| should be marketed from the field IL
| possible When grown for seed houses
| or for direct shipment to the South
they must be held until wanted. when
good dry, cool cellars or houses must
| be prepared For anything more than
five acres it will doubtless pay to have
the largest potato planter. cutter and
digger. These ale little expensive,
but several farmers should go in to-
sether for them, or one buy them and
do the planting and digging for the
neighborhood. We know of this being
done very satisfactorily in number
Of localities.
that hope can be entertained of their
permanent reform. They are also CIV
en- such industrial training as will fit