The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-12-09
potato CROPS
IN THIS STATE
suPT. HovERsTAD IN INTEREST
ING ADDRESS GIVES POINT
ON RAISING TuRERS.

Surrey. N. d., Dec. 9.--Potato grow
ing was given attention in an address
before the farmers institute In this
city by Supt. T. A. Hoverstad. In part,
Your climate and soil Is peculiarly
Well adapted to the growing of pota-
toes. And I understand that you are
going into it on quite a scale. The
North Dakota potato is the finest that
goes on the market. 1t is not only
the summer that lis favorable but also
the winter, being cool the potatoes
can be kept in an almost perfect con-
dition. In the south thew can not
keep their potatoes for seed nor can
they grow SO fine a quality so they
send north for their seed.
The best kind of soil to grow them,
on is sandy loan though they are
being grown with good success on
heavier soils. An important thing to
nave In the soil is humus or organic
matter This helps to loosen up even
a hard soil and 1t holds moisture and
IN other ways brings about conditions
that the potato likes and needs to do
Wen. A clover sod is the finest kind
or ground to grow 1t on. 1t Is In an
ideal condition. II 1t is plowed twice
II viii be that much better 1t is also
we'll to apply manure, but it should
not be applied to the potato crop as
that is apt to cause scab. Apply it to
the crop grown the year before, then
the manure will have been worked
into the soil so as to have none of its
bad effects and at the same time exert
It's good effects. Potatoes are not hard
on the ground as they do not take
much out Of the soil. The cultivation
given them are the very best for pre-
pairing the ground for a crop of grain,
so that the following crop will be
greatly increased. So that even if
there is no profit in the growing OF
the potatoes the increase in the fol-
lowing crop will almost pay for. the
work put on potatoes.
THE best way to cut the seed is by
hand when one has the time. Cut the
pieces to one eye. Plant in rows
three to three and one-haIf feet apart.
ten to twelve inches apart in the row.
Before cutting treat the seed with
formadehyde to kill any scab germs
that may be on them. In treating the
seed soak them for couple of hours
in solution made UP from one pound
OF formaldehyde to thirty gallons of
water.
ITO get rid of the bugs spraying
with paris green is the best remedy. |
The solution can be improved by add
ing some Bordeaux mixture. This
will make the paris green stick better
and this mixture will kill any blight
that may be floating around in the !
air and settling on the leaves.
ITO improve potatoes use the hill |
row method Of selection. Select out |
a number of fine potatoes from good |
hills. The next year plant these pota-
toes wifepe theysc be kept by them |
selves. Dig these hills with the fork. |
When they are all dug compare the
yield from each hill. Select out the
potatoes from half dozen hills that
are the best. Save these for planting
next year, a grape basket is good to |
use to hold the potatoes from each hill |
so as to keep them from getting mix
ed. The next year plant short row
from each hill and when digging Sc
let from the best hill as before. In
this way it is possible to improve the |
potatoes from year totyear."
He was assisted by E. III. Pierce who /
discussed the dairy cow and her feed
ng, and by Prof. w. C. Palmer who
ook up the subjects OF clover grow
ng, tree growing and dry farming.
The attendance was unusually good
Ind the interest exceptional This
western country has the cream of the
armers of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota
md eastern North Dakota. 1t is
lew country. The first settlers COM
ng in 1900. 1t hardly seems possible
hat farmers could in so short time
ave accomplished so much.
Music was furnished by the band.
rec dinner and supper was served.
Everything moved along very smooth
Y showing that these farmers are
sed to work together.
o. M. Champlin presided over the !
neeting.