Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-04-14
Planting Potatoes

Is 1t best to plant whole potatoes,
quarter potatoes, pieces with two
eyes or pieces with a single eye?
Which will give the greater yield,
planting twenty bushels per acre, or
| planting but eight or ten bushels?
| The answer to these questions will
| depend somewhat on the variety,
soil and seed. Experiments prove,
! however, that most potato growers
! plant too little seed in order to OBJ
tain the greatest net yield. At the
Michigan station, seed cut in halves
and planted at the rate of twenty
| bushels per acre gave a total yield
| of 317 bushels, or a net yield in ex-
cess of the seed of 297 bushels; seed
cut in quarters and planted at the
rate of nine bushels per acre gave a
total yield of 254 bushels, or a net
yield in excess of the seed of 245
| bushels; seed cut in eighths and
planted at the rate Of five bushels to
! the acre gave a total yield of 221
| y L
bushels; seed cut with a single eye
and planted at the rate of four bush
els to the acre gave a total yield Of
! 17S bushels or net yield of ia
bushels. This experiment is GER
tainly very strongly in favor of heavy
seeding. In this same experiment
whole tubers planted at the rate of
Al bushels per acre gave total yield
of 293 bushels, or a net yield of PSI
bushels. This result was rather I'M
usual, as in most experiments the
whole potatoes have given a greater
yield than any of the cut potatoes.
The value of the seed has much to
do with the thickness of planting.
With seed at $3.50 a bushel, one
would naturally be more inclined to
cut it in small pieces than with seed
at 80 cents bushel. AS an average
of 80 experiments at thirteen differ
ent state experiment stations it was
found that half potatoes produced,
in twenty-three experiments out of
the thirty, a larger net marketable
yield than did the potatoes cut to
two eyes. In these same expert
ments twenty-five of the thirty eX-
periments gave a greater net value
of the crop (value of the crop less
the value of the seed) in favor of
the half potatoes. In twelve expert
ments, comparing whole potatoes
with half potatoes, seven gave a
greater net value of the crop (value
of the crop less the value of the
seed planted) in favor of the whole
over the half potatoes. From this
we would conclude that it generally,
although not always, pays to. plant
much heavier than do most farmers
in the corn belt. A New York expert
menter of much experience recon-
mends seventeen to twenty bushels
as about right under ordinary condi-
tions.
How far apart shall the rows be
spaced? How close shall the seed be
planted in the row? This depends
largely upon the variety, soil, time of
planting, and manner of cultivation.
With the ordinary method of giving
horse cultivation, rows three feet
apart and seed fifteen inches apart
in the row is about right. Eearly
potatoes may be planted considerably
closer together to good advantage.
The depth of planting also depends
largely on the soil and time Of plant
ing. Early potatoes are generally
planted too deep. In ordinary soils
two and one-half inches is plenty
deep enough to cover the early crop.
If the soil is heavy and damp, one
and one-half to two inches may be
deep enough. The drier the soil and
the lighter it is, the deeper the seed
should be planted. To avoid sun