The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1911-10-21
POTATO GROWING.

Seed SelectiOn.-Seed selection il
the most important phase of profitable
potato growing. The quality and pro
ductivity of the seed always deter
mines the quality and productivity O
your succeeding crop. AS in stock rails
ing, so in potato growing, the selection
OF the individual marks the degree O.
success of the grower. When selecting
potatoes for seed, select vigorous, heal
thy hills that have the same number Of
plants in the hill. Do not select freak
hills or hills that have had an advan.
tage. Experience alone will teach you
how to select those vigorous, healthy
plants that are good yielders of uni
form marketable potatoes. Select to q
definite ideal and true to type The
best marketable types or sizes range
| between a and a 10-ounce potato
| Different varieties have different
numbers of eyes, but in any event keep
| the number of eyes to a minimum and
select for potatoes that have shallow
eyes. Deep-eyed potatoes have a
higher percentage of waste and are not
as Salable as the shalloW-eyed varie-
ties. Be sure and have smooth skinned
potatoes that are free from any sign of
disease. NEVER PLANT DISEASED
POTATOES.
Cutting for Seed.-Cutting potatoes
for seed by hand has thus far proven
superior to cutting them with machin-
cry Of course where potatoes are
planted in great areas, hand cutting is
almost out of the question. But wher-
ever it is possible to cut them by hand
it certainly proves to be most profit
q h1n Snnx n houo oil thQ 011ttin
form in size and with the same num-
Der of eyes. From one to two eyes
to potato are ample, depending upon
soil conditions and how closely the
potatoes are to be planted. To secure
the best conditions for successful
growth the seed should not be cut too
long before planting. Sizes of cuttings
of course vary but if they are made
from 1 to 1 IL ounces, with either one
or two eyes, they will prove success
full This fact will be more striking
and the benefits of keeping the cuttings
a uniform size will be more quickly
noted when rigid seed selection is
practised.
Treatment of Seed.-Seed potatoes
before being planted should be treated
with a solution of formalin, made up in
tlS lOllOWiuS PlOPOl IiOIo. u QlllC VI
40 per cent of formalin to 80 gallons
of water). AS soon as treated the seed
should be planted Formalin prevents
scab in most instances.
Planting.-The amount of seed to
plant per acre should vary with the
soil conditions, size of seed, number
of eyes to the seed, and somewhat to
the variety being planted. If planted
on dry land the available moisture
will determine to a great extent the
amount of seed to plant per acre. On
reasonably moist soil about 10 bushels
per. acre is ample. This can be in (,
creased on irrigated land to maxi /,
mum of about Is bushels per acre. |
This is at rate of two eyes to the |
cutting and about to 1 IL ounce cut
tings. With the larger varieties and |
where large potatoes are desired, less
seed should be planted to the acre
than with somewhat smaller varieties,
where medium sized potato is de-
sired. Of course the distance apart
he seed are planted will vary the
number of seed per acre. The distances
part to plant vary from 8 to Is inches.
Most growers prefer to plant them
lbout 10 to IL inches.