The Delta independent., 1908-03-27
POTATO TRAIN
Good Meeting at Delta

Good Meeting at Delta
The potato train made its announced
schedule stops at Delta county points
Saturday and Monday.
The meetings were all well attended
and the excursionists dispensed much
and valuable knowledge about potatoes
and potato growing.
With the party were: Mr.. H. M.
Cottrell, director; Prof. E. r. Bennett
of the experiment stations; Mr.. Eugene
Grubb of Carbondale. originator of the
potato train idea; E. r. Bliss, potato
grower of Greeley; S. w. Clark, Ft.
Collins grower; Jesse Sherman, OF
Eagle; H. L. Edgerton of Carbondale;
Sam Doll of Gypsum; Editor Horace
Mann of the "Rifle Reville". Prof.
Eurico LAMA, cornetist and Mr.. B. w.
Robbins, Western Slope agent of the
Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Com
pany.
At Delta the court room was well
filled to hear the discussions. Prof.
Bennett gave a general talk on potato
culture, potato diseases and potato
seeding. He was followed by Mr..
Grubb, one of the largest potato rails
ers in the state. Mr.. Bliss then made
a talk covering the methods of the in
dustry at Greeley and he was followed
by Mr.. Sherman of Eagle on like sub
jects as applicable to his section.
The main points brought out on seed
ing were the selecting of uniform sized
potatoes, or hills of such potatoes,
shallow of eye. smooth, from healthy
plants and free from scab. Such po-
tatoes were just like breeding up stock
or budding fruit. They produced crops
that needed little culling, were of best
favor, least waste and brought the
highest market price.
In potato culture, the secret Of con-
stant culture, of keeping the soil loose
for air and sunshine. was declared to
be that of success. Potatoes should be
cultivated once week and irrigated
once week if possible. The burrows
In which water is run should be deep
and not allowed TO hold the water. The
soil should be wet below the ridges.
allowing the moisture to rise to the
potato roots.
Many good points were made on
marketing the product 1t was as
serted that eastern cities were anxious
TO contract potatoes of Colorado growth
and quality at one dollar per hundred
on board cars at any railroad point in
the state. Potatoes that were smooth,
shallow Of aye and weighed from i to
l6 ounces were the favorites. Potatoes
that were too large were as object ion
able as those that were too small. In
regard to the demand, it was shown
that the entire crop of Colorado would
not feed New York City three months
Of the year. II was also shown that
the crop is the best paying of farm
products, giving $50 to s75 clear to the
acre as against SIS per acre net on
oats and $l2 per acre net on alfalfa.
The meetings have been a valuable
schooling to farmers. who, while they
have-particularly in this section
amply qualified themselves as scientific
fruit growers and packers, have given
small attention along the same impor-
tant lines to pota to growing.
The speakers announced that in no
place in the world could more perfect
potatoes be grown than in Delta coun-
ty, if the growers would go at it right
and heed Mr.. Grubb's expression;
"Porosity of the soil"
At the close Of the meeting the diff.
ferent kinds of machinery now used in
extensive potato raising was exhibited
and explained.
The natural result of this excursion
will be great increase in potato cult
vation and doubtless more successful
growing of the great world-food.
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