The Estancia news. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1904-1912, 1911-03-24
P0TAT0 CULTURE
The Growing of Potatoes under Irrigation is no
all play. but Results more than Repay ths
Labor Expended
3. C. Buffum in the Irrigatson Age

Potatoes can be produced with
as little moister as any of the
general farm crops. Their re
quirements are such that a little
water stored in the soil will make
sufficient growth of vine and with
proper cultivation it's feeder roots
will gather practically all the
moisture in the cultivated area.
The potato is one of the most i'm
portant and profitable arid region
productions. So important has il
become under irrigation in certain
sections that its culture is being
rapidly extended. When grown
under irrigation the potato is
forced and rapidly deteriorates as
seed. On this account there is
large demand for potato seed rails
ed by dry farm methods. Seed
raised by dry farming, and used
under irrigation, seems to do wei
the first and second year, but old
potato growers seldom use the
same seed the third year. This
is an important item to the dry
farmer who has soil and condi-
tons suitable for potato culture.
Good crops Of potatoes are rails
ed on a variety Of soils We be-
Iieve a light sandy loan is pre-
ferable, but where late water can
be supplied, good crops are pro-
duced on heavier soils. With
proper cultivation the yields av-
erage from 100 to 250 sacks of
two bushels each per acre. The
costof producing the crop av-
erages about thirty dollars per
acre.
The main troopers in the noun
tain region are the "Ohio" for
early crops the Mammoth Pearl"
and Rural New Workers. for
late crops. In some sections the
'Burbank' does very well. Early
varieties are more used for dry
farming, but very few early
potatoes are grown as main crops
by irrigation. The white varieties
pearl and Rgral) take the lead.
It is important that a community
Of farmers who are just becom-
ing established, at least, plant
only one or two varieties in order
that they may supply a uniform
product to the marketin sufficient
quantities.
The root rot (5ee future articles
on Plant Diseaso) and blight are
very common potato diseases and
the first Of these, at least can be
measurably controlled by proper
ly handling and treating the seed
before planting, by change of
seed and by rotation Of crops.
Seed potatoes may be kept from
sprouting in the spring by fire.
quently changing their position IN
the root cellar. Perhaps one OF
the best treatments that can be
recommended is to let them be,
come well sunburned. The light
seems to destroy the winter stage
of the root rot disease. The
| farmer can tell whether this dis
ease is present in abundance on
his potatoes by the presence ol
black spots which look like par
ticles Of soil that stick very tight
ly to the skin of the potato
"Greening' the potato seed also
causes short strong sprouts winch
do not break off in handling and
are ready for business as soon as
! planted in moist soil.
Treatment with corrosive subh-
mate or formalin will also help
destroy this disease, and it is 9
cure for true potato scab where
the crop is raised on clean land
Use two ounces of corrosive subll'
mate to fifteen gallons of water
n.c,ol,,, tLa cNvrOSiVp cubllmatC