The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-05-01
POTATO GROWING.
CONTINUED from Page g..

SeeQ SnOulu never De pldHISu uSSply
in cold, wet soil, or unsatisfactory
termination is sure to result.
Frequently only a part of the po-
tatoes which are planted come up.
This may be due to one or more of
several causes, all of which should be
guarded against. Cut seed potatoes
should never be allowed to remain in
piles until they heat, and are thereby
seriously injured. Seed potatoes that
have been exposed to too low temper
atures will seldom give a uniform
stand.
All decayed 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 that are sure to result
in an unsatisfactory stand if seed in
fected with them is planted. Finally
in the dryer sections potatoes should
be planted to a uniform depth below
the dry surface mulch, in order to Sc
cure a uniform stand.
Varieties.
A few of the best of the many hun
dred varieties which have been grown
on the station farm and at other places
in the state are described below. They
are arranged in groups according to
their habits of growth, and in each
group the varieties are placed in the
order of preference-yield, shape, col
or, character of eyes, etc., being taken
into considerations judged by the
results of over two years tests.
Group Varieties that produce new
potatoes early and mature early in the
season.: New Queen, White Ohio,
White Rose, Picks Early, Irish Cob
bier, New Early Standard, Six Weeks,
White Star, King of Michigan, Early
Thoroughbred, New Century, New
Climax, Early Ohio, Early Rose.
Group 2-Varieties that produce new
potatoes early and mature early in
September: Sweet Home, Champion of
Crimes Lightning, White Victor,
Early Hamilton.
Group 3-Varieties that produce new
potatoes early, but mature late: Bur-
PEGS Extra Early, Arcadia, Crown
Jewel Bovee, Algoma.
Group 4-Varieties that produce
good marketable tubers and ripen
early in the fall. Promising for local.
ties where potatoes have a tendency
to grow too late in the fall: New Bur
bank, American Wonder, White Lily,
Medium, Carman No. 1, Sir Walter
Raleigh, Green Mountain, Vermont
Gold Coin.
Group 5-Varieties that yield heavi-
ly, maturing late in the season.: Gov
ernor Folk, Ross Favorite, Rural New
Yorker No. 2, Snowflake Junior, Car
man No. 8, Burbank, White Beauty,
White Mammoth, North Pole Easterly
Great Divide, North Pole Stinnett,
Harvest King, North Pole.
Group 6-Heavy yielding potatoes
undesirable for market purposes, but
may be grown for stock feed: John
sons Seeding, Purple and Gold, Pin.
gree, Red Jacket, Empress of India.
Cultivation.
AS soon as the field is planted ii
should be carefully narrowed, and this
repeated at intervals of a week to ten
days until the plants are two to five
inches high. After this, the surface
mulch should be maintained with the
c%ultivator. Weeds in the rows should
be cut out with the hoe, but if the
narrowing has been thoroughly done
there will be few weeds left to ger
inmate in the row. The number Of
civilizations necessary to secure 6
| good crop depends upon the thorough
ness of the narrowing and the fire
quency of summer rains Or the appli
cation of water.
Every farmer with six acres or more
should have a potato digger.
The o. R. & N. r. R. Co. has granted