Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-05

Storing. cutting and preparing poratoes
for planting are very important opera
tons IN the successful growth OF this
crop: much more so than Is generally
thought TO be the case. Seed potatoes
should be kept in a cool place and should
not be allowed TO sprout, as is frequently
the case, as the long sprouts take much
OF the plant food and moisture from
the tube, and il has been shown conclu-
sively that the second shoots 10 appear
are not nearly so strong as the nrst
Seed potatoes can therefore best be
stored in shallow boxes with Stats on
the bottom. and they should be kept at a
temperature cool enough to prevent
sprouting until a few days before plant
ing Then. IL extra early potatoes are
needed. the sprouts may be developed by
placing the potatoes in warm atmos-
phere and again putting them In cool
room TO harden the sprouts when they
become tough and are not easily broken
OF in handling the tubers.
INFLUENCE OF THE SETS on THE
YIELD.
Thousands OF experiments have been
made 10 determine the best kind OF po-
tato sets TO plant. Experiments seem 10
prove that the larger the set planted the
larger the crop viii be. It is very ex-
pensive however, 10 use large whole po-
tatoes for seed. as sixty or more BUSH
els are often required for an acre To
raise the largest crop at minimum COST
therefore, Is the object OF the grower
and as a rule II has been found more
profitable 20 take medium sized potatoes
which are well developed and cut them in
say. four pieces. leaving one TO three
strong ewes on each section The fewer
number Of eyes. as a rule, the smaller
the per cent Of unmarketable potatoes,
which Is a very important consideration
10 the farmer. The practice OF using the
small potatoes for seed year after year
is a very bad one and should be discour-
aged. The potatoes should not be cut
until Immediately before planting. and IL
they are rolled In plaster Of gypsum II
viii be an advantage as IL dries up the
fresh cut surface and tends TO prevent
the escape OF moisture Potatoes thus
treated have been known TO give better
results than where cut some time before
planting and allowd to dry out.
DEPTH AND DISTANCE TO PLANT.
AS 10 the depth OF planting, that Will
vary with the soil For early potatoes
shallow planting Is advisable, not over
20 inches. For late crop deeper
plantfnx will give better results. and
there IN less danger from drouth. Four
20 six inches will not be too deep for a
late crop
The distance apart to plant viii also
depend somewhat on the richness OF the
soil. For ordinary soil the rows may De
from two TO three feet apart and the
sets dropped from Il to Is inches apart In
the drfII row. For large operations pota-
toes are. as a rule. put in with the
planter.
The after cultivation Of the crop is very
important II planted In ridges they
should be narrowed OF just before the
shoots come through the soil; IL planted
on the level shallow cultivation should
he uracticed TO hold weeds in cheek
and effectively conserve soil moisture
late cultivation Is advisable and IL the
potatoes tend TO raise out Of the ground
enough dirt should be thrown 70 them 10
keep them well covered
IMPORTANCE OF VEGETABLE MAI
TER.
sa,srance has already been made 10
the necessity OF large amounts OF veg
etabIe mater in the soil for the best
success with potatoes The question nat
uralIx arises as 20 how the supply o.
vegetable matter can be kept up. There
are two chief sources OF supply-farm-
yard manure and green crops plowed un-
der. Fresh barnyard manure should
not be applied 10 the potato crop as II
induces scab. II Is. however, an excellent
source OF fertility for potatoes. supply
ing not only nitrogen, but limited
quantity OF phosphates and potash as
well. or course, II IS deficient IN both
phosphates and potash from the stand
point OF a potato fertilizer. and even
when as much as ten 10 % tons are
aupIied per acre Il will be advisable
70 use additional amounts OF both phos-
phates and potash. II manure is 20 be
applied directly TO potato land immedi-
81 - d.
weII-rotted condition, and is best worked
into the surface with a disk cultivator
rather than turned under, and II should
certainly not come in contact with the
seed
AS the supply Of farmyard manure
Ia limited, green crops are frequently
used in sections where potatoes are
grown extensively. Red clover provides
one OF the finest crops 10 turn under
for potatoes, though a good grass sod
answers fairly well. The importance OF
using green lexuminous crops is clear
ly demonstrated by the results presented
in the following table. the experiment
having been conducted at the Central
Experimental farm. Ottawa, Canada
EFFECT OF CLOVER on YIELD OF
POTATOES.
Yield per acre with clover. bushels,
1901, 42s: 1901. Sql: 1904 90
Yield per acre without clover. bushels,
lsol. sl: 1871. s52: 1904. 3s2
Increase in yield from clover. bushels.
1901, g.: 1902. So: 1894. 80.
Average increase for three years, 81
bushels.
From this IL will be seen that there
was an average increase from the clover
Of 81 bushels per acre. which at 20 cents
a bushel would give the clover a fertil-
king value Of s14So per acre. and its
effects would be seen on the land for
more than one year.
Cereal crops, such as rye, can often
be plowed under TO advantage for po-
tatoes. Mr. Alva. OF Ohio. used rye for
several years and gradually increased
the yield at the end OF the seventh
year he obtained 2S5 bushels Of market