The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-12-08

which the pieces of potato are dropped
into basket below. Cut them so one
eye will be in each piece. Do not let
the seed dry after cutting. One farm
er cuts them on the north side of his
house, throws them on wet dirt ana
covers with a blanket. They keep
nice and moist for week. He would
plant in rows 3 IL feet apart, and
one piece in hill, twelve inches
apart. This ought to give a uniform
potato. If potatoes are
raised on large scale, they are plant
ed with drills. He would rather cut
the seed by hand, than WITH patent
cutter, though these are successfully
used by some ralsers. If the ground
is we'll drained, and the soil sandy, the
seed should be planted fairly deep.
The seed should first be covered UP
with two inches of dirt, and after.
wards the cultivation will cover them
more. Cultivate the land and ever
1astingly cultivate it, but not SO deep
as to disturb the roots. If the soil
is poorly drained, 1t is we'll to hill up
the plants. For a dry season, level
cultivation is better. The tubers
should be in dry soil, but the roots in
wet. The tubers are not a part of The
root, but of the stem. Potato land
is best for grain, though wheat some.
times by reason of its rank growth
lodges.
To kill the insects, spray with Paris
Green and the Bordeaux mixture.
Be sure to treat the seed with for
maldehyde, then you ought to have
potatoes free from disease and pests.
Bordeaux mixture prevents blight.
When the plants are seven or eight
inches high, spray with this mixture
two or three times Any standard
digging machinery is all right. The
kind that turns the potatoes out on
the level ground is the best. Pota-
toes ought to dry three hours anyway
before being sacked or loaded. He
told of farmer who picks up his po-
tatoes in this way. He drags two
planks on the ground behind his wag.
on. Baskets are fastened on the
planks and pickers sit on the planks
BY driving slowly, three men can pick
up all the potatoes as tine team walks
along. Potatoes are a perishable crop
and one can never tell when the price
is going to be high. A good rule to
follow is to plant many when the seed
is cheap. Many are discouraged from
going into thebusiness when the price
is low, besides, the investment is less.
The seed runs out only because of
the care you give the crop. The pota
toes are thrown into the cellar and
the house wife picks out tine finest
for cooking. In the spring, the culs
are planted. Mr.. HOverstad told OF
breeding up some fine seed. He Sc
lected three varieties Of good potatoes,
and planted seventeen hills in
each of these rows, cutting one po-
tato into four pieces, and planting the
h1 nfpt n
in each hill, several inches apur;
Saving the seed, die selected the best
from the product and repeated the
performance next year.. That is what
makes pure seed. He has known of
potato growers using the same seed
for forty years. There is no good rea-
son why it should run out.
The following questions We're asked:
o. M. Champlin: Can you grow
large potatoes from small ones Yes.
James Haakinson. I plant whole po-
tatoes. large as hens eggs, and get
good results. Is this right? A. There
Is no harm in it, but you have gone
to unnecessary expense.
D. NJ. Shorb: How can you grow
early potatoes to tine best advantage?
A. Plow the land in the fall, harrow
and disc it early in the spring, to
warm the land, sprout the potatoes
In the sunlight and cultivate soil fire.
puently.
d. W. McCallister: Have you any
special way of keeping the bugs Off?
4. With Paris Green. When potatoes
are grown on large scale, contri-
vance may be secured, to spray four
lows at time A wagon, pump and
1 nose can be used to spray an acre
n an hour.
Mr. Pence said that the best varie-
ties he had grown were Early Ohios,
Green Mountain and Burbanks, the
irst named being the best.
E. H. Pierce, formerly assistant
state dairyman, gave an excellent talk
IN cows. Corn, hogs and COWS make
| good combination and sooner or la