American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-04-01

|lrrtgate before planning ~ " II
never satisfactory to trrigate pota-
toes up. A small acreage may be
planted by hand, but when the plant
lng Ii on Z considerable scale, II IL
advisable to use q two-horse planter.
with q planter five to six acres per
day may be planted. The rows may
be 36 to 40 inches apart and the
cuttings IL inches apart In h rows.
With cuttings IL inches apart there
Will be 1880 hills to the acre. The
seed III planted about four and a haie
inches deep. From 700 to 1900
pounds Of seed will be required per
acre.
Soon after planting cultivate deep
ly and az close to the rows as pos
slble without disturbing the tubers.
Harrow 1t once II the ground Is left
rough by the cultivator and repeat
once a week until the potatoes are
several inches high. when the second
cultivation should be given. This
cultivation as well az those that fol-
low should be shallow 30 as not to
disturbe the root system, A two
row c%ultiyator drawn by two horses
Is used. Deep ditching and heavy
ridging give the best results. Flat
cultivation In not suitable to the
culture of potatoes on irrigated land
Use deep furrows for irrigation SO
that the water IL applied below the
level OF the tubers, IL Is better for
the moisture to reach the roots by
eapillarity than that the irrigation
water saturate soil about the tu-
bers. The time for the first irriga-
ton must be determined by examina
ton of the soil Water should not
be applied sooner than necessary, yet
irrigation should begin in time so
that the whole field may be covered
before any of 1t may suffer. 1t Is
considered desirable to withhold
water until the tubers have formed.
However. IL there Is need of mois-
ture sooner, irrigate, as potatoes
must be kept growing right along
without any check II good results
are to be secured.
Cultivation should follow each
Irrigation as soon after as the soil
can be worked to advantage. Irri-
gate as often as soil conditions will
require. DO not let the potatoes
get dry at any time as a check In
the growth ear a loss In the yield
or quality. III once checked in grow
"a second growth IL sure to follow
when water Is applied. Irrigation
and cultivation should cease shortly
before the middle of August. The
number OF irr igations may be one
to five according to the soil.
Harvesting lis most expediously
done by means of a digger that ele-
Yates the potatoes and soil over an
elevator chain. The soil drops
through leaving the potatoes on
top Of the ground. At least four
horses are needed to draw this dig
ger and four to six acres per day are
handled. Ten to Is men are re-
CURED to pick after one digger.
FITTING potatoes Is a common
practice. The trench Is made about
a ZOO deep and about six or eight
feet wide. The pile is about four or
rive feet deep. A layer OF straw is
placed over the bottom and top. The
covering Is light at first and i~ncreas-
ed as the weather gets colder. The
piles should not be too large as
sweating" Is likely to result and
the potatoes should cool off pretty
well before much covering is put on.
A ditch should be dug around the ri
so that water from rain or snow
would drain away readily. Fact pit
should be provided with a ventila-
tor, This may need to be closed In
very cold weather. IL the potatoes
are well matured and dry when pitte
aud do not get wet before the COM
plete covering Is put on, they should
7ksep In good condition. While DO
tatoes may be kept In pits quite we'll
storage cellars are much better.
These are made partially in the
ground. The excavation may be
made to a depth OF six feet. The
walls are made OF straw or saw
dust and straw covered with dirt
constitutes the roof. Large double
doors at each end. and those that
grow a large acreage have a drive
way extending through the cellar.
The bins are ON either side, When
the potatoes are brought In they
are spread out about a foot deep and
no more are put ON until those have
cooled. h potatoes are piled five
feet deep when the bins are full.
Ample provision IL made for venti-
lation, the aim being to keep the
~ lVh o. W % Qt-
grees. The temperature should not
20 below 80 degrees. though the POI
tatoes will not freeze should the
temperature so below IS. These
storage cellars are for those who
grow potatoes on a considerable scal
aud may be made OF such size as the
needs OF the grower may require.
The market demands a medium
sized potato. as large potatoes do
not sell well on a discriminating
market. The grower should there
fore atm to produce such potatoes,
The selection Of good sorts and
proper rate of seeding will aid In
securing medium sized potatoes. The
potatoes are sorted In the field or
In ME cellar. A screen sorter hav-
ing n ~ to 2 inch mesh is used.
The small potatoes drop through and
the anger ones are picked off the