Milford chronicle., 1910-02-18

potato grower supply the greater
part OF this IS, 600, 600 bushels
They can raise no more, no better,
no cheaper potatoes than we can,
providing we go at it like they do.
I cannot imagine a more pleasant
or instructive trip than through
Maine during the potato growing
season.
On acre one year I raised 400
bushels Of fine potatoes, In 1908
l had 10 acres averaging 100 bush
els per acre. In 1909 I3 acres av-
eraging IFS bushels per acre.
The first thing to consider when
getting ready to plant potatoes IS
the seed. No matter what variety
YOU plant be sure they are true TO
name, otherwise part Of your crop
will need more attention when part
Of them are ready to dig. l had this
very experience last year. One
should decide whether he is going
to plant early or late varieties. /
prefer the early as they are less LA
bic to blight-the greatest enemy
the potato has.
In selecting the ground for a po
tato patch one should avoid bottom
lands and hillsides. a good clover
or cow pea sod plowed seven or
eight inches deep, and well worked
to the bottom Of the furrow, makes
an ideal place to plant potatoes.
Spring plowed ground warns up
better and the potatoes seem to start
sooner than on fall plowed land.
A sharp drag harrow or weeder IS
a good thing to run over a patch
until the plants are couple OF
inches high. Some authorities say
use a weeder cross wise until the
potatoes are s or 10 inches high.
The FIRST and second cultivation
should be moderately deep, then
continue a shallow cultivation until
the growth of the vines make it i'm
practicable.
I use the Iron Age Planter, max
ing the rows so inches wide and
dropping pieces IA inches apart in
the rows, using 5 barrels per acre.
l like a good sized potato and cut
one eye to a piece.
a good potato fertilizer is one
that will analyze 4 per cent amonia,
s per cent phosphoric acid and 10
per cent potash.
l sprayed with Bordeaux mixture
and Paris green, but have not done
this as extensively as I hope to do
in the future.
Here are some figures regarding
the cost Of spraying and the profits
derived therefrom. The following
was carried on by J Y.
& Son, Phelps, n. Y, in
1908. The total expense of spray
ing I3 acres S times was $3.50,
the items being as follows;
5O4 lbs copper sulphate at 6 cts. $50 "a
s busheis lime at IS cts 28Ol
l2 lbs white arPenic at 81 cts 66
55 hours labor for man at l7@ cts 68
AZ hours labor for team at II cts 20
SIS rs
Cost Of spraying per acre for each
application was so cents
Yield Of sprayed rows, per acre. l47 bu.
Yield OF uHsprayed rows, per acre 81 bu.
"a bu.
A good showing. considering
that there was no blight this year.
"a bu per acre on IA acres 1895
bu), worth. $44S 90
Less cost Of spraying 90 70
Net profit on IA acres 1892. "a
Net profit per acre $2S OF
Mr.. Salisbury sprayed potatoes
for his neighbors at SO cents per
acre and furnished everything. In
other experiments conducted in
1904 by the Geneva Experiment
the cost of each application
was as low as 81 cents per acre, and
the net profit as high as 500 per acre.
Spraying with Bordeaux mixture
the potato crop in the
ways
1. The structure of the leafshows
a slight increase in thickness and
in strength and so offers more resist 1
ance to the growth Of disease spores. |
?. The green cOlOring matter OF
the leaf and stem is increased.
;. The transpiratson of moisture
is greater in sprayed plants. Food
is moved from the roots to the
leaves in water, the food is worked
over and the water is given off.
The more food laden moisture pass
ing through. the greater is the
growth.
4 The taking in of food from the
air by the leaves is much greater.
5. The duration Of the leaves and
vines is greater.
g. The growing period is extend
ed, insuring a heavier yield. In
Vermont BLIGHT often aDDears in