The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-06-30
SPRAYING POTATOES.

Thousands of acres in the northwest
are annually devoted to the growing Of
potatoes. Commercially this crop is
of great Importance. 1t forms one of
our most essential foods and much de-
ponds upon the success or failure of
the crop.
Cultivation.
BY this time the potatoes should be
we'll up and the farmer must direct his
attention to their cultivation. The
chef objects of cultivation are to kill
weeds and to conserve moisture. 1t is
necessary that the ground be kept
clean, and the weeds destroyed before
they make much root. The two-horse
wheel cultivator can be used to advan-
tage after the plants are two or three
inches high, but previous to this it is
we'll to use the weeder or light harrow,
with the teeth slanted backwards
One deep working is always necessary
except in the lightest soils. Potatoes
must have room to expand and while
it may seem hard on the crop at the
time, the soil must be thoroughly
loosened around the roots if size is to
be expected.
Potatoes must have moisture to make
satisfactory growth. Prof. King found
that it requires 422 tons of water to
potato. We should not look to the
clouds during summer as the only
source of moisture. There is general
ly enough in the soil for the produc-
ton of crop and cultivation will
bring it to the surface. Cultivation
also prevents evaporation from the
soil and, therefore, the ground should
be worked frequently during dry
weather.
Danger of IA Wet Season.
Wet weather shortly after planting
causes the potatoes to form roots too
near the surface. Their root system
is then less able to withstand a
drouth should it follow the wet wealth
er. The loss from rot is also increas-
ed during wet season. Excessive
rain produces blight which is respon-
sible for much rot. But even with ex-
cessive rains we need not give up hope
of getting crop. These troubles may
be overcome by
Spraying.
Blight and rot are both prevalent
in the northwest. While this crop
had fair chance of escaping disease
few years ago, there seems little
chance of it now. Bordeaux mixture
applied at the proper time to the vines
will prevent blight, and by the addition
of Paris Green or other arsenites,
potatoe bugs can be killed at the same
time. Aside from the destruction of
plant diseases and bugs, Bordeaux
mixture and Paris Green when proper
ly applied exert a tonic effect upon the
plants. The Geneva, New York, Sta
ton did much toward interesting farm
ers in this line of work. Some took
up the scheme more as an accommOda-
ton to the station than from any ex-
pectation of personal gains. OF those
whose tests were reported, 30 growers
made a net profit of $4,000 from
spraying. Thorough spraying is
always effective, and, as rule, any
spraying will give profit. Farmers
who are yet doubtful may easily salts
fly their minds by
Making a Spraying Test.
Such test is very simple. Plan to
spray the whole field, leaving three
rows through the middle of the field
unsprayed. Keep those three rows
free from bugs by the use of Paris
Green or hand picking, and combine
poison, If necessary, with the Bor-
deaux mixture, on the sprayed area.
At digging time weigh or measure &C
curately the yield on the middle un-
sprayed row and compare it with the
average found by similar measurement
of the second sprayed row on each
side. The results are sure to be con-
vincing and will remove all further
doubt as to the necessity for spraying.
Time to Spray.
To spray thoroughly begin when the
plants are six or seven inches high,
spraying every two weeks as long as
the vines are green. II a rain comes
before the application is dry on the
plants the treatment should be re-
peated, but spraying should not be
stopped because ut looks like rain"
Blight spreads fastest in muggy wealth
er Just after q warm rain at which
time the plants most need protection.
It needs only q short time for the mix
ture to dry on the vines and then
nothing less than hard rain can
wash 1t of.
Many farmers feel that they cannot
spare the time to 60 over their pota-
toes so often. II only three applica-
tons are made during the season, de
lay the first until it 10 necessary to
treat the potatoes for bugs, or about
the middle Of July. Then use Bor-
deaux and Paris Green and spray thor
0ughly.. The second and third applica-
lions should also No thoroughly made
and Il anssh farnAa - Will kAAn the