The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1911-11-10

advantage. Experience alone will
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 tvDe. The best marketable
types or sizes range between ) and
lO-ounce potato.
Different varieties have different
numbers of eyes, but in any event keep
the number of eyes to the minimum
and select for potatoes that have shall
low eyes. Deep-eyed potatoes 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 dis
eased potatoes.
Cutting for seed.-Cutting potatoes
for seed by hand has thus far proven
superior to cutting them with machin-
err 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
able. Seek to have all the cuttings uni
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 one to IL ounces, with either
one or two eyes, they will prove sue
cessful This fact will be more strik-
ing and the benefits of keeping the
cuttings uniform size will be more
quickly noted when rigid seed selec-
ton is practised.
Treatment of Seed.-Seed potatoes
before being planted should be treated
with solution of formalin, made up in
the following proportions. Il 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 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 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 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 a medium sized potato is de-
Rha 80
the seed are planted will vary the
ances 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
to S inches, and this in a great meas
ure depends upon whether early or
late varieties are desired. Early vari-
cites are planted at the former depth
and the late varieties are planted at
the latter depth. Where early potatoes
are especially desired, planting should
be done as 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 90 days to reach maturity.
Observation-Disclosures can be cult
waited with harrow until they have
reached height of 4 or S inches. If
the weeds are still troublesome. one
or two horse cultivators with either
harrow or shovel teeth can be used.
In every case the soil should be kept
fairly loose and moist After each ir-
rigation, after the soil has dried suf-
ficiently, the soil should be cultivated
to keep from baking. A potato will
not do we'll, nor take on good shape
where the ground is too hard, and the
quality of the potato will not be as
good where the soil is kept too wet.
Observation-Disclosures should not re-
| oeive too much water as the quality
of the potato is seriously impaired. 1t
is hardly possible to say just how
much water should be applied, as the
| types of soil vary greatly. The main
| idea to keep in mind is to keep the
| ground moist (but not wet) and after
each irrigation, if possible, they should
be cultivated in order to keep the soil
loose and friable. Do not use too
much water.
Harvesting and Selecting for Mar
1 ket.-What ever the method of har-
vesting, the grower should practice
| rigid selection of market classes in or
der to make his product more salable,
Potatoes from to 10 ounces in size
are the most salable potatoes on the
market, but do not mix the and 10
ounce potatoes. For fancy trade if
selected closely to one size a higher
price can be demanded. Local markets
as a rule can use the large, irregular
potatoes that of necessity must be ex-
cluded for the above named market
classes.
l.. C. AICHER.
Superintendent Aberdeen Co-opera-
tive Experiment Station, Aberdeen
| Idaho.