Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-06-07
81: Potato.0rowlnq for Profit .,

While almost every n raises pota-
toes for his own USE. only a small pro-
portion OF our readers raise them to
sell. Why is this? Simply because
potatoes are among the most particu-
lar crops in regard to soil. While they
do not demand an extremely rich soil
they want a soil of peculiar character ,
1sticS. and when the potato gets Il fair
chance in a soil to its liking 1t yields
SO much more II turns out a product
OF such fine quality hat the man who
attempts to grow II on land that is not
suitable soon gets sorely W by
the competition from the potato sec
tions of big Yields and fine quality.
says The Farmer. The first question to
work out in extensive potato growing
is ad~aptability of soil. Ii one ind that
he has not the soil, then forget all about
potatoes.
What Are Potato Soils?
The potato does best in n mellow.
free working loan with Il large pro-
portion of sand. 1t also does Well on II
drift soil of sand and mellow clay with
an abundance of humus underlaid with
lime rock. Don't try "a grow potatoes
for market OF a soil that is heavy, or
that is extremely hard To pillow. Don't
try To raise potatoes by the carload in
Il sticky soil. nor where YOU must
climb on TO a spade with both feet to
get it into the ground. While IL man
may prosper at growing grain on such
land. Il sandy farm will discount it two
To one for potatoes. This is eNempli-
fled in that the potato field of the
northwest has become narrowed down
To Il few counties of Minnesota and
Wisconsin, as ii has In the east to GER
tain districts of Maine and New York.
Land of this character works easier.
the potatoes come out brighter and
cleaner. keep better and yield more.
Carefully compiled statistics indicate
that the average yield IN land of this
character is from 20 To 100 bushels
more than the average yield of those
districts with a soil not especially
adapted To potato growing.
Preparing the Soil.
Some one has said hat the ideal
crop OF timber. but as this cannot be-
come Il permanent feature in "a rotu-
ton. one of the best places to plant
potatoes is on a clover sod. A corn
field that was manfred before the corn
was planted. and kept free from weeds
also makes good potato ground. I'm
der most conditions fall blowing is
preferable to spring owing The
depth to plow must be rItusted ac-
cording to the soil. on gen
eral principles we can say pillow a lit
tie deeper for potatoes than for most
other crops. --~S-.. 70
Seed.
Plant but one, or at the most. two
varieties. for there Is a premium for
uniformity. Use good strong seed.
Don't use seed that has sprouted in IL
dark celler. as every inch OF sprout
takes IA certain amount OF vitality from
the potato that it should have while
1t is getting its roots established. Don't
cut the seed to lie around several days
before planting. Use clean seed free
from scab. Do not use lcabby seed
except az a last resort. Don't plant
potatoes in ground that has contained
scabby potatoes, and don't plant po-
tatoes after potato&. II scabby seed
potatoes must be used. give them the
corrosive sublimate treatment.
Procure from a druggist two ounces
of powdered corrosive sublimate (mer-
curis bichloride), put this into two
gallons OF hot water in a wooden or
earthenware vessel and allow II to
stand until dissolved. Place thirteen
gallons of water in a clean barred. pour
in the solution of corrosive sublimate
and allow 1t to stand two or three
hours. with frequent STRINGS, In or
der to have the solution uniform. Sc
lect potatoes as nearly free from seal
as can be obtained. put the seed pOta-
toes INTO bags. either before or after
cutting them. and then dip them into
the corrosive sublimate solution n
allow them to stay in for an hour and
a half. II seed potatoes are treated
In his way ard then planted on land
free from scab. the resultant crop will
seldom be seriously injured by seal
The expense Of this treatment. includ-
ing Labor. should not exceed 81 per
peatedly.
Size to Cut the Seed.
Numerous experiments prove that
good sized %OtatOe cut into abOut four
pieces make the best seed. Planting