Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-10-20
THE RAISING OF POTATOES.
Mr.. Walker States How He Prepares
for Good Crop.

Editor Keowee Courier: In re-
spouse to several requests for my
ton for my potato crops, will give
you my experience in raising Irish
potatoes in the North, in Ohio and
Indiana. | always had a clover sod
and manured it broadcast I'm the fall.
In the spring | would plow II one
foot or more deep, then harrow and
drag until ] got the ground as fine
as could. would then lay my
rows of three feet wide and furrow
out about four inches deep and drop
my potatoes from - to Il inches
apart, according to the kind of pota-
toes planted. Late potatoes take
moIe space than early ones. | cover
my seed with single shovel plow
going on both sides, so | have it all
i'll ridges. This keeps the water
away from the seed in a wet time
and as soon as ] find that they are
about to come through the ground
| take drag made Of two plankS,
nailed one behind the other, and
drag them. The plank should b,
long enough 20 take three or four
rows at Il time. Then in a few days
| harrow them the same way they
are planted, with harrow, the
teeth OF which | can slant so they
won't drag the seed out. After they
are up nice | take the cultiVator--a
two shovel is the best. having Il long
narrow shovel or bull tongue close
to the potatoes. This time | plOw
as deep and close as | can. After
that | plOw them once each week, or
oflCncr If 1t is necessary, for some
times after we rlow big rain will
come, apd that forms crust; then,
just as soon as it gets dry enough
this crust should be broken every
time. Early potatoes should be cul-
tivatSd right up to the time they are
ready to dig. If this is done you will
have no trouble to dig them. and
YOU won't have the weed seed to
contend with another year.
| hav" not had time TO experiment
much here yet, but next year | am
going TO tend my potato crop this
way. There is also a good deal in
the seed you plant as well as the
tending. Get a pure bred seed 10
tato even If you have 20 send to a
seed grower like William II. Maui.
of Philadelphia, for seed, for | know
he and other good and reliable seed
men keep pure seed. and it pays
to get the best. | shall get my seed
this year, and If any one wishes to
send for some they can send when [
do and we will get them cheaper.
| am willing to help brother far
mer any way | can, and am willing
to tell you anything | can in the
way OF raising potatoes. for potatoes
have always been my main crop. and
have always been successful in
raising them in Ohio, Indiana, illi-
nois and Arkansas. The last crop |
raised in Arkansas had $50 bushels
to the acre. Now, what will pay bet
ter than potatoes, even if you only
get 90 cents per bushel? And after
raising potato crop your land is
IN line shape for a crop Of wheat or
anything YOU want to plant.
will write again and tell YOU how
we plant potatoes in Arkansas and
the right way to cut the seed and
how to spray for the potato beetle
| do not care how many bugs come,
| can get away with them.
| have a patch this year of second
crop from my first planting, but they
did not come up evenly on account of
, the dry weather, but there will be
over half a crop. There are some
now October 10th larger than hen
eggs. and the second crop Is the
right kind of seed to plant in spring,
and at digging time the seed should
be picked carefully, saving none that
have scales and none that have a
bad shape. My plan has always
been to save the very best ones and
plant them to themselves, and if this
Is done YOU will have no trouble
about bad seed. My seed were poor
this year, for | did not have time to
send for any, and had to take what
| could get, but sorted them care
tuily, and the result is fair yield
and a nice quality.
W. Z Walknr