Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-01-08
COMMERCIAL POTATO GROWING
Some Good Points on One of the
Most Profitable of Crops.
By A. G.. Craig, Assistant Horticulturist, State
College of Washington. Pullmcn.


By A. C. Craig Assistant Horticulturist, State
College of Washington, Pullmcn.
Potato land should be plowed in the
fall and allowed to lie rough during the
winter. This favors the catching of
winter moisture, and allows the sub
surface soil to settle and the surface
can be worked earlier in the spring.
If the fall plowing is impossible, the
land should be disced in the fall so that
the surface may be rough and open
through the winter. Deep blowing
usually gives better results than shall
low. The plowed land should be we'll
narrowed early in the spring, and if
not Immediately planted, it should be
frequently narrowed in order to con-
serve moisture and kill the weeds
which start after the first narrowing
Spring plowed land should be narrowed
Immediately after the plow, to pre-
vent loss of moisture. In the dryer
sections, some form of subsurface
packer should follow the plow, and
this shoold Immediately be followed by
the harrow to work up surface mulch.
If the soil plows up cloddy, plank clod
masher may be used quite proftably.
The time of planting should be gov
erned largely by the climate and the
purposes for which the potatoes are
grown. The potato plant needs ample
moisture when the tubers are setting
hapca tho crrOu-or should onJoouo. 60
have the plants reach that stage of de-
velopment at the time when the moist
ure supply is likely to be favorable
For early new potatoes, the seed should
be plar ed as early in the spring as the
soil will permit, on light, warm SOIL
For late potatoes they may be planted
as late as the middle of June, provided
the moisture supply is ample and con-
tinuous; but where summer rains can
not be depended upon, the carrier the
potatoes are planted the better, if the
danger from frost is guarded against.
The distance between rows and be-
tween hills in the row is an important
point in the potato culture. Varieties
that tend to produce very large tubers
should be planted close. Soil will ad-
NIT of close planting in direct proper
tion to its fertility and moisture con-
tent, and the care given the crop. In
high priced land, intensive culture
should be practiced and the rows and
hills planted as closely as the fertility
of the land will permit. Increasing
the size of the "seed pieces" will ac-
complish the same results as close
planting, but the danger of sunburned
tubers is apt to be increased.
No farmer who grows six or more
acres of potatoes each year can afford
to do without horse planter. Of the
several methods of hand planting, the
following is the most satisfactory
After the soil is well prepared, open
up burrows to the proper depth with
single shovel plow. After the seed is
dropped, cover with the plow and har-
row thoroughly. The depth of the
planting should depend upon the text
ure of the soil, and upon whether early
or late potatoes are desired. Five
inches is not too deep for late potatoes,
on light, mellow soils, but three to
four inches is better for an early crop,
or on very heavy, or very wet soil.
The amount of seed to use varies
from three to ten sacks per acre, and
depends upon the variety of the soil.
Varieties which tend to produce very
large tubers should have large guam
tity of seed. Rich land should receive
more seed than poor land. If the seed
pieces are not too large, the number of
eyes to each piece makes no difference.
1t is more important that the size of |
the pieces sohuld be uniform than that
there should be the same number of |
eyes in each piece.
Frequently only part of the pota-
toes which are planted come up. This
may be due to one or more of several |
causess, all of which should be guarded |
against. Cut seed potatoes should |
never be allowed to remain in piles un-
til they heat, and are thereby seriously
injured. Seed potatoes that have been
exposed to too low temperature will |
seldom give a uniform stand. All de-
cayed tubers and those which have
brown or black spots through the flesh
should not be planted as there are two
diseases which are found in this state
which are sure to result in an unsatis-
factory stand if seed infected with
them is planted.
Cut seed should never be planted
deeply in the cold wet soil, or unsatis-
factory termination is sure to result.
Finally, in the dryer sections, potatoes
should be planted to uniform depth be-
low the dry surface mulch in order to