The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-30
Irish Potato Culture.

Southern Planter.
 While Irish potato growing has as- sumed large proportions, there Is still the certainty that decided increase, II properly conducted, will bring increased profits. To accomplish this more at- tention must be paid to selecting seed, and thorough spraying must continue through the season. The whole years operations hinge on pure, sound, healthy, vigorous seed. Unfortunately for the Southern trucker habit holds him in an iron grip, and i1 spite of all that science has given to light the path of the potato growers, we, the South- ern farmers, are not ready to let go old traditions, buying our seed pota- toes from the North, direct from the commission merchants, and having them shipped South during the severe cold winter months in bags or barrels.
 My experience has been, that 1t would be better to buy the seed potatoes from the originators and growers North and have them shipped South in double headed barrels just as soon as they are harvested and dried.
 Southern farmers can store them in some underground cellar, or potato house, properly ventilated, and pro tected from frost, and so arranged that sunlight does not reach the seed stock This point alone is of great value to potato that is to be used for seed.
 The writer has seen, from time to time. many barrels and bags of pota- toes remain on the steamboat wharves and in open warehouses as they are shipped from the North. This delay Is often due to the farmers inability UJ haul the potatoes to his potato house on account of the bad weather or bad roads. When he Is ready to plant them he finds a large portion have to be thrown away on account of rot or from being severely chilled by exposure in the cold weather.
 If Southern farmers will get their Eseef potatoes from the North In Qeto- Der, and keep them in their own potato houses, they will have a smaller per | centage of loss. and the convenience of having the potatoes in stock ready for planting as soon as the weather will permit.
 The best varieties for early planting 1 in February are the Early Rose, Bovee Red Bllss, Crown Jewel White Bliss and Clark's No l. Last season the writer tested potato originated by the Johnson Seed Potato Company of Rich | mond. Me, called the Early Johnson which will prove leading potato in Norfolk County, Va. All the truckers
 
 very much pleased with 1t, as 1t is very eGrly and exceedingly prolific. I have frequently observed that po- tatoes do better when the seed is changed by growers every now and then. The grower in the low lands get ting his seed from the grower in the highland, and the grower in the high land getting his seed from the grower in the lower country.
 am convinced by experience that the land for planting potatoes in Feb ruary should be ploughed in November or December, and then rewOrkcd. Potatoes demand clean culture. and working the field sev- eral time during the fall and winter will leave it in the best possible con dition for February and March plant ing in the South.
 Machinery now takes the place oi hand labor. The work of cutting enough seed potatoes by hand to plan fifty to 500 acres Is tedious and tire some, occupying a number of days while the use of potato cutters enables