The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-03-08

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although of course variations in these proper
tions depending upon soil, climate and meth"
DDS Of cultivation, to be expected. 1t Ia
evident, therefore, that the potato is not per
feet food and that it lacks sufficient nitro
genous matter while having a superabun-
dance of starch and sugar That does not de-
stroy it's value nor it's usefulness by any
means, nor its popularity, for next to In
dian corn and rice, the potato is the most WIDE
ly used vegetable in the world.
Today no hopeful settler, after trecking into
virgin Wilderness thinks his little garden
complete without the pretty patch of potatoes;
no domestic public meal is served without
its tuberous establishment, and after master
ing the art of boiling eggs, the next step OF
the young housewife is to learn how to prepare
potatoes.
The grand total Of potato production for one
year amounts to about 5500,000,000 bushels,
and this gigantic crop comes from every con-
tinent in the world Over one-fourth of the
output is grown in Germany; not quite one
eighth from Russia; usually little less even
than that, from Austria Hungary; about one
ninth from France; about one-sixteenth from
Poland and slightly less quantity from (con-
tiguous) United States
In the United States almost one-third of the
years crop is grown in the North Atlantic
states, but the group of North Central states
east OF lne MISSISSIPPI RIVER TuuS d clOSe sec-
ond; of the other subdivisions the Central
states west of the Mississippi are next in i'm
portance, and the far Western states are fourth
This illustrates one fact about the potato;
it is very susceptible to climate and cultivation
Left to nature, it is only moderately pro-
life plant and cannot thrive in a country too
hot or too cold but has it's habitat essentially
in the temperate zone; on the other hand. it
responds readily to good care, so that the
more it is nursed the better does it grow
The few rules to follow in successful potato
growing be learned by any farmer. First
the soil must be suitable, but this is not hard
to find. 1t must be light, to offer no
great resistance to the enlargement of the tu-
bers; we'll supplied with organic matter, yet no
more than moist, and containing abundance of
natural fertilizing ingredients Well drained
sandy loan is excellent; clay should be avoid
ed. Crop rotation is advisable the potato
bears we'll after certain preceding crops, but
may wither II succeeding itself too regularly.
Liberal manure Is necessary, but of the right
kind. The rows should be laid of as close to-
gether as practicable without interfering with
horse cultivation, and generally speaking the
seed pieces should be dropped about IL inches
apart In burrows made in the level field and
not on the RIDGES yet deep enough-say four
inches-to afford ample cover to them It must
be mentioned that in speaking of potatoes the
word "seed" means the tuber portions cut
from 1t in which an "eye" has formed; the
botanical seed may be used, but no benefit Is
derived from that method care must be
taken, however, that the sprouts from the eye
are not injured and it is best, therefore to use
eyes from which sprouts have not appeared.
The uses of the potato as food have long
ago been INDICATED. Nothing can dislodge it.
Not even the latest discovered dashen, JAP
anese and Chinese claimant to tuberous popu.
larity, will take it's place, even though 1t
may be proved to possess more protein than
the South American predecessor Whole books
have been written on the culinary art of cook
ing the potato. Boiled, baked, stewed, or
fried, 1t has been a garnishment to the more
aristocratic dishes of every feast since it was
discovered, and has supplied many full meal
to the humble masses who do the worlds
work. Nothing but a poem could tell it's
praises, and a sonnet is the least tribute
through which our gratitude to Peru should be
expressed.
AS source Of industrial alcohol, especially
that substance which is commercially known as
denatured alcohol, potatoes are being regarded
as of increasing value.
Next to food, however, the greatest value to
mankind of the American potato is a source
of starch. In this, too, it vies with corn. Po-
tato starch is every year proving its merit.
and whatever can provide starcn, has long
popularity ahead of itself. Starch is one of
the essentials Of civilization. Its uses are pro-
team, the demand for 1t is unceasing, and for
both art and industry the supply must be con-
stant With such a varied field for its actfy-
ity. therefore, no one should doubt that few
blessings to humanity can surpass that which
came to the world through the famous potato