Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-09-17
PART l.
Introduction

tatoes. In many large sections the
atm osphere is so dry during the
growing period that it furnishes un-
favorable conditions for the develop
ment of fungus diseases on the fol-
iage, nor have we in this state the
Colorado beetle, (potato bug), which
is so destructive east of the Rocky
Mountains and annually necessitates
the expenditure of large sums of
money for spraying.
There is little danger of livestock
| ing the potato market here. The east
ern demand form Washington-grown
potatoes is good and in the past has
rarely allowed the price to fall below
ten dollars per ton in car lots. In
addition to this there is a rapidly
increasing market for our potatoes in
Alaska and at home. There is, how
ever, no crop now grown in Wash
ington which shows greater variation
| in yield per acre than the potato.
| This is largely because of the erron-
eous idea that potatoes as a crop do
not need much attention. Many
farmers give time and care to the
potato crop only when there is moth
ing else to be done, and as a re-
suit the potato is neglected. This
crop responds to good culture to
greater degree than any other, and
the grower who exercises proper care
with his potatoes is always paid in
! yield and quality.
There are thousands of acres of
land now devoted to summer-fallow
which might produce good crops of
potatoes with very little additional
expense, and yet leave the soil bet
ter in condition for wheat than it is
under the present methods of sum
m er-fallowing. The average cost of
producing potatoes in eastern Wash
ington is little less than five dol
lars per ton. the blowing and har-
rowing which would have to be done
on the summer-fallow land if pota-
toes were not grown is included in
the cost. Therefore, potatoes grown
in the place of summer fallow can
be sold for a very low price and still
leave a good balance If the mar
ket remains as high as it has been
for many years a net profit of fif-
teen to twenty dollars from what
would otherwise be idle land can
easily be secured.
Men are constantly coming into
the state to engage in agriculture,
and this article is written to meet
the great call for information on po-
tato culture by such men and by old
err residents of the state who wish
to add potatoes to their list of crops
The experienced grower also may find
some valuable suggestions in the dis
cussion.
Climate
Climate is one of the greatest fac
tors to be taken into consideration
tatoes. Other things being equal,
potatoes can be raised with less ex-
pense per acre in a climate where
most of the precipitation of moisture
comes in the late fall, winter and
early spring months than in climates
where rains are expected weekly dur
n ri IF hn
son. This is especially true of soils
naturally retentive of moisture.
Large areas of eastern Washington
have just such climate and soil. Once
a good surface mulch is established
to conserve moisture, no further cul-
|tivation is necessary, except where
the mulch. This mulch can usually
be established with a harrow, and
very little cultivation is necessary
The weed seeds that terminate early
in the season are usually killed with
tn harrow, and few seeds will germi-
nate later in the surface soil, pro-
llNd III SuihAilIA dlhD SOlliS " llOlS~
ten the mulch.
In all cases the harrow or cult
yator should be used as soon after
rains as the soil will permit, to con-
serve moisture and kill weeds. In
humid summer climates this is about
once week The writer has seen
potatoes on good soil in a climate
where rain was expected every week
until August suffer from drouth in
late summer more than in eastern
Washington, where the rainfall is
seldom above twenty inches. This is
due to the fact that where rain
comes so frequently, the best of farm
ers fail to cultivate after each rain,
and when the dry spell does come
the soil is not in the proper physi-
cal condition to hold sufficient mois-
ture to tide over the dry spell. and
/ fha