Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-07
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT,
An Acre or Two Of Potatoes.
Bangor Commercial


Maine, always known as a high class
agricultural state. has in recent years
become famous as a state in which the
potato has become field crop of large
proportions and of unsurpassed excel
| lence. While it is true that the SUI
premacy of the potato as a farm prod
uct was first won in Aroostool1
county, it is also true that other
counties in our state produce as good
potatoes as does our north county: and
the counties of Penobscot, Piscataquis.
Washington and Waldo. with the old
| lands on farms in the Kennebec valley
ard even the farms of many portions
Of Cumberland county. produce as good
crops of potatoes as are grown in any
part of Maine. This is due to prepara-
| ton of the soil. to special fertilization
and to thorough cultivation. If these
particulars are observed a good yield
Of potatoes is assured.
We have an inquiry from reader
of the Commercial who wants to know
! how to grow a good crop of potatoes.
| A young farmer has purchased a farm
| in one of the above named counties,
not in Aroostook, who wants to know
just how it is done. We will try and
tell him.
1t is only small field that our in
quirer wishes to plant, say about two
or three acres; consequently the
methods OF hand cultivation will he
chiefly employed, as the machinery
employed on the large fields in some
sections of Maine. cannot as well be
used on fields of limited extent.
Our inquirer. who has a new farm
may not have a field upon it fitted last
| fall for crop of potatoes But if he
has field of quick, warm SOIL the sod
may be turned this spring, and loamv
soil in which is not too much clay is
of better quality for potatoes than n
heavier soil. Much depends upon thor
ough and fine culture of the soil after
| it is turned. Any good pulverzing
harrow put upon the surface in differ
ent directions for three or four times
will make a good seed-bed
| Land for potatoes should be made
rich. Work into the soil by narrowing
about ten ordinary sized cart loads of
| stable manure: and while the applica-
ton of commercial fertilizers must rest
| largely upon the judgment of the
| farmer. it may be said that from 500 to
$50 pounds of such fertilizers will give
a good dressing. Special potat }
fertilizer, having a large percentage of
potash, is manufactured by many
firms. These. as well as the standard
brands Of commercial fertilizers. are
made known to our farmers through
the Commercial columns.
Potatoes like deeply loosened soil
This is why thorough surface cultiva :
ton at planting time is necessary
After deep narrowing the wing shovel
pillow is the best to be used for furrow-
ing-a guide wheel being attached for
marking rows with the wings removed
unless for covering.
Plant potatoes by the hill or drill
system. BY the hill system, hand
covering. have the rows three feet
apart. the hills also three feet apari
BY the drill system place the seed one
foot to Is inches apart. In planting
use the fiat or hill method Of covering
Eight bushels of potatoes, cut to pieces
three eyes in hill, is about the usual
quantity per acre For early potatoes
three inches is good depth for cover
ing: for later potatoes, four inches il
better.
We believe these directions. quite
closely folowed-although varied as tc
character of the soil-will yield a good
crop of potatoes in a favorable season
In the year 1908 the average yield OF
! potatoes in the United States was 7t
bushels per acre. other details re-
garding cultivation, spraying and
harvesting will be given at the right
time a little later.