Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-19
CHARACTERISTICS OF A
GOOD POTATO SOIL

A good potato soil is one which contains
q large per cent Of several grades or SAND
particles and a relatively small AMOUNT
OF nne clay. Four per cent OF hne clay.
30 per cent OF silt and % per cent OF me-
dunn fne sand, according 10 mechanical
analysis makes an excellent potato soil
This type Of soil will hold from 10 10
per cent OF water Heavy soils or those
very retentive Of water hold an excessive
amount OF moisture and tend 10 prolong
the growth and so retard maturity IN
duly. Wherever soils Of this type are
found and can be easily enriched with
hurnus, especially through the plowing
under Of green crops. such as clover and
eowpeas. large crops OF potatoes can be
raised provided a sufficient amount OF
mineral elements are supplied 10 the soil
IN an artificial form TO balance up the
supply OF available plant food and keep
the essential constituents OF plant growth
In equilibrium
Potato farming when compared with
mixed farming. even where green crops
are pIowed under frequently. will gen
orally result In a considerable loss OF
phOsphoric acid and nitrogen to the SOIL
while the loss Of potash will be very
marked Snyder states that in a mixed
potato and general farming. where 40
acres are devoted TO potatoes on a leo
acre farm, that the actual loss per an
mum OF phosphoric acid will be Loo
pounds. of nitrogen 500 pounds, and OF
potash $500 pounds While a soil may
naturally be rich and fertile in the be-
ginning and its productive qualities main
tanned through the use Of deep-feeding,
green leguminous crops like clover and
cowpeas. II viii eventually run down I'M
der the heavy drain which the potato
crop makes on IL. and emphasizes very
clearly that in addition TO the use OF
green crops very liberal applications OF
potash in particular must be made. espe-
ciaIly as potatoes do not give their best
results on heavy clay land. but rather on
loamy, sandy or silty soils which are very
often quite markedly deficient In potash.
INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE ON THE
POTATO.
Climate is thought to have a very con-
siderable influence on the yield and quail
" OF the Irish potato. especially the
starch content Numerous Investigations
have been made to determine this point
At the Virginia station many compari-
sons OF potatoes grown under varying
made, and the conclusion reached that
the per cent OF starch contained was
nearly the same with the northern, west
ern and southern grown varieties, the
southern varieties coming second. and the
western varieties third II is quite evil
dent however, that thorough ullage Is
one Of the chief points In the production
Of good potatoes. and that the prepare
ton and fertilization OF the soil and cul-
tivation Of the crop after planting are
factors Of the first importance in secur-
ing q potato OF superior quality. 1t was
also demonstrated that the starch content
varies widely with varieties and locality
IN different seasons, and IL Is quite EVIL
dent that some varieties require more
plant food than others, and are, there
fore. favorably or unfavorably affected
as TO starch content and cooking quality
BY the soil and climatic environment In
which they are grown These factors are
Of SUFFICIENT importance to merit con-
sideration as they show that one variety
might not do well because OF an insult
neient supply Of plant food OF because Of
the unsatisfactory nature Of the particu-
lar kind Of plant food applied TO the soil.
These facts are brought out because OF
the frequent complaint made that a given
crop has not responded as well 10 a GER
tain fertilizer as was anticipated when
the difhculty experienced Is very likely at
tributable to the use Of fertilizers in the
wrong combination and In insufficient
quantity
SELECT THE VARIETY CAREFULLY.
II Is a very important matter TO Sc
cure a standard variety adapted to a
given locality. hrst Of all, and then
10 study it's needs from an economic
standpoint Factors OF this kind have
such an important influence on crop
yields that this Is a point worthy
OF the serious attention OF every grow
er. For instance. 10 was found at the
Maine station that potatoes sprayed
with the Bordeaux mixture contained
q higher percentage OF starch than the
unsprayed ones. Some varieties are