The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-11-03
POTATO GROWING
Seed Selection

| the seed always determines the quail
ity and productivity of your succeed
ing crop. AS in stock raising, SO il
potato growing, the selection of the
individual marks the degree of sue
cess of the grower When selecting
potatoes for seed, select vigorous
healthy hills that have the same mum
Der of plants in the hill. Do not Sc
lect freak hills or hills that have a.
advantage. Experience alon W /
teach you how to select those vigor
GUS, healthy plants that are good
yielders of uniform marketable pota.
toes. Select to a definite ideal and
true to type. The best marketable
types or sizes range between a 5 and
10-ounce potato.
Different varieties have different
number of eyes, but in any event
keep the number Of eyes to a mini
mum and select for potatoes that
have shallow eyes. Deep-eyed pota-
toes have a higher percentage OF
waste and are not as salable as the
shallow-eyed varieties. Be sure and
have smooth skinned potatoes that
are free from any sign of disease.
NEVER PLANT DISEASED POTA-
TOES.
Cutting for Seed
Cutting potatoes for seed by hand
has thus far proven superior to cut
ting with machinery. OF course,
where potatoes are planted in great
areas, hand cutting is almost out of
the question. But whenever 1t is pos
sible to cut them by hand it certainly
proves to be the most profitable. Seek
to have all the cuttings uniform in
size and with the same number of
eyes. From one to two eyes to po-
tato are ample, depending upon soil
conditions and how closely the pota-
toes 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 to " ounces, with either one
or two eyes, they will prove success
full. This fact will be more striking
and the benefits of keeping the cut
tings uniform size will be more
quickly noted when right seed selec-
ton is practised.
Treatment of Seed
Seed potatoes before being planted
should be treated with a solution of
formalin, made up in the following
proportions: l pint of 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 con-
ditions, size of seed, number of eyes
to the seed, and somewhat to the va
riety being planted. If planted on
dry land the available moisture will
determine to great extent the
amount of seed to plant per acre. On
reasonably moist soil about 10 bu-
shells per acre is ample. This can be
increased on irrigated land to maxi
mum of about Is bushels per acre.
This is at a rate of two eyes to the
cutting and about 1 to " 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 a medium sized potato is de-
sired. OF course tie distance apart
the seed are planted will vary the
number of seeds per acre. The dis
tances apart to plant vary from 9 to
Is inches. Most growers prefer to
plant them about 10 to IL inches.
The depth of planting varies from
8 to 5 inches, and this in great
measure depends upon whether early
or late varieties are desired. Early
varieties are planted at the former
depth and the late varieties are plant
ed at the latter depth. Where early
potatoes are especially desired, plant
ing should be done az soon as the
soil is warm enough to sprout the
seed. For the later varieties or where
late potatoes are especially desired,
the planting can be done during May
and early June. The main object to
be kept in mind is that they should
have enough time to mature. Most
of the varieties, especially the later
varieties, require from rs to 80 days
to reach maturity.
Cultivation