The Holly chieftain., 1909-05-28
POINTS ON IRRIGATION
DANGER IN TOO MUCH WATER As
TUBERs SHOULD MATURE
IN DRY SOIL.
(By W. Paddock, Colorado Agricultural
ColleSe.y

of April to the middle of May, usu-
ally about eight inches deep. Finish
the days work by narrowing all the
land that has been plowed with
smoothing harrow. After the ground
has been plowed see that it Is well
leveled, SO that there will he no high
or low places. Harrow sufficient
number of times to put the ground III
fine filth; use disc if necessary
The seed is planted with one of the
standard makes of planters. AS four
horses are commonly used on planter
the ground will be pretty thoroughly
packed. To relieve this condition the
ground is cultivated Immediately after
planting. This will help to kill out
weeds ard alfalfa A heavy four-shovei
cultivator. drawn by four horses, IL
used. The shovels are set to throw
the soil towards the rows and to run
as deep as they will go. The depth will
vary from eight to twelve or thirteen
inches. This operation leaves the
soil loose, but more or less lumpy. and
with an uneven surface, especially on
heavy soils. The smoothing harrow
should Immediately follow the cult
vator to re-establish the soil mulch.
The number OF civilizations depends
upon weather conditions and upon the
rapidity of the growth of the vines.
The cutivator 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. Sometimes two cul~
tivations are all that are given, but or
dinarly a third follows the second by
a week or ten days, and II the vines do
not get too large or irrigation be-
comes necessary, cultivation is cou~
tinued. Each time the cuitfvator is
used more. soil is thrown toward the
potato rows and the hollows become
deeper; thus ditching is easily done.
Ditching and irrigating are delayed
as long as possible. The rule is not to
irrigate if it can be avoided until the
potatoes are in bloom or the tubers
are set.
The ditching is done with a narrow
double mold board plow. Three horses
are attached and the plow is run twice
in each row at about the depth OF cGl~
tivation. or ten to twelve inches. The
ditching takes the place Of one cult-
vation and if the ground is hard, or if
the first irrigation fills the bitches to
any extent, the operation is repeated
SO as to make the bitches deep enough
to keep the water below the surface
of the potato ridges.
From the above 1t will be seen that
much attention is given TO keeping the
soil loose and porous: also that the po-
tatoes are grown in high ridges. This
system has been evolved gradually by
our best growers in an unconscious ef-
fort to combat disease. 1t is q COM
plete success on good potato soils, and
much may be done with the heavier
soils by following the plan mentioned
The details of irrigation. manner OF
laying out the rows, etc, do not need
to be described. But there are a few
simple points which are essential to
success. First. do not irrigate pota-
toes up II it can possibly be avoided.
Wetting the land at this time is very
likely to bring on attacks OF disease
which will result in a poor stand and
serious injury to the plants through
out the growing season.
Ordinarily the first irrigation should
not be given until the tuberS are set
If the tubers have chance to form fn
comparatively dry soil. the majority
OF them will be formed at one time:
then when water is applied all will
have an equal chance to develop: the
result should be crop of even sized
potatoes.
The water should always run shaf-
low in the burrows, never deep enough
to stand around the tubers, but a suf.
ficent amount applied so that the nsois-
ture may seep up into the ridges. In
this way the soil about the growing tu-
bers may be kept damp but not soggy.
This is the ideal condition for the po-
tato plant, but unfavorable for the
growth of potato diseases.
An effort should be made to Keep
the soil moisture uniform by frequent
light irrigations. If the ground is al.
lowed to become dry, the growth of
the tubers is checked; then when VA.
ter is again applied second growth
starts in, which results in knobs and
irregular growths. The tubers OF some
varieties crack badly under this treat
ment.
1t is essential that the potatoes
should mature In comparatively dry
soil. II the soil is kept wet untiI t1ar-
vest time, the tubers contain an excess
OF moisture and this necessarily re.
suits in poor quality. Then, too. pua-
toes dug when the soil is wet present
poor appearance on the market. be-
cause OF the quantity of soil which ts
bound to stick to them,