The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-06-14
Irrigating Potatoes in Alternate Rows.

Irrigating Potatoes in Alternate Rows
the Superior, the Robins and the Elk
celsior. All these planters require
cut seed. Very little difference can
be seen In the work of any of them
Four horses are used with these plant.
ers and five to seven acres planted is
considered days work. The rows
are from 36 to 40 inches apart, with
a distance between plants in the row
of 10 to is inches.
Very soon after planting the first
cultivation is given. The ridge left
by the planter shows the rows so the
plants do not need to be seen. The
object Of the first cultivation Is two
fold, First the tramping Of the four
horses used on the planter packs the
ground solidly. This needs to be
loosened to areate the soil and pre-
vent loss of moisture by evaporation.
Second, the alfalfa or weeds that are
starting are killed. For this work,
four horses on heavy four shovel
type of cultivator are used The shoy.
els are set to run as deep in the soil
as they will go which is from eight to
u or 10 inches. They are also set
so as to throw the soil toward the po-
tato rows, thus beginning the killing
or ridging process which Ia charac-
teristic of potato culture in this local.
ity. This operation leaves the soil
loose, but more or less lumpy, and
with rough uneven surface, especial
ly on the heavy soils. The harrow i'm
mediately follows the cultivator to re-
establish the soil mulch. These two
operations destroy the young weeds
50 there is little trouble in keeping
the field clean.
The number Of civilizations depends
upon the weather conditions and ra-
pidlty Of growth of the vines. The
cultivator Is used second time as
soon as the plants are large enough
so that the rows can be easily fol-
lowed. This time the shovels are not
run quite SO close to the row, but to
the same depth unless the plants are
much developed. In that case the
inside shovels are raised 50 as not to
injure the root system Some times
two civilizations are all that are given,
but ordinarily third follows the Sec
ond by week or ten days and II the
Vines do not get too large or irrigation
become necessary, cultivation is con.
tinued. Each time the cultivator is
used more soil is thrown toward the
potato rows and the hollow between
the rows becomes deeper, thus ditch.
Ing is more easily done.
Ditching and irrigation are delayed
as long as possible. The rule Is not
to irrigate If 1t can be avoided till the
potatoes are in bloom or the tubers
set. e'e
The ditching is done with a narrow
double mold board plow. Three
horses are attached and the plow Is
run once in each row at about the
inches. This ditching takes the place
If one cultivation and If the ground !
IS hard or II the first irrigation fills
he bitches to any extent, the opera.
ion is repeated so as to make the
litches deep enough to keep the
water below the surface of the potato
'idges.
The details of irrigation depend |
lpon the size and contour of the field |
o be irrigated. Many of the fields are
SO that the rows are from /
'ne-fourth to one-half mile long. II
he land slopes sufficiently and con-
inuously across the field from the
'upply ditch, the problem is simple.
1t the first application the water is
urned into lateral at the head Of the
ows. A canvas dam is placed in the
ateral. SO as to hold the water back
ind raise 1t into the rows. After the
vastel has run In these rows SUI.