The Dickinson press., 1912-08-10
MACHINE FOR POTATO
Many Different Types Are Manu-.
tactured for Culture.
There Should Be No Great Difficulty
For Grower to Select Those Types
Best Suited to His Condition
and Purpose.

kBy PROF. J. H. SHEPHERD, North
! Dakota Agricultural College.)
GOOD machinery must be employed
Nor the economic production Of pota-
toes when more than five to ten acres
ARE grown. There are many different
types Of machines manufactured,
adapted to all the different operations
necessary in potato culture. Some are
better suited to one kind Of soil and
Its culture than others; yet, there
should be no great difficulty for the
potato grower to select those types
suited to his condition and purpose.
The Buyers Guide and the Farm I'm.
plement News, both published In Chi.
cago, advertise practically all farm Inn.
plements manufactured. One of these
catalogues should be secured by
everyone who uses much farm ma
chinery. Farm papers also carry ad-
vertising for many Of the best manu-
facturers. 1t is not our intention to
recommend any particular make. but
rather to call attention to the different
machines necessary on a potato farm
and a few OF the important features
to be considered In selecting the ma
chinery.
When help can be secured it will
pay to cut the seed by hand. on &C.
count ofTthe, more economical use OF
the seed and the greater uniformity
of the cuttings. When cutter is used
some pieces will be without eyes,
hence 1t will be impossible to secure
a perfect stand. A cutter. however,
will give very satisfactory results and
may be profltably used when labor is
scarce and high.
A planter should be used whenever
large areas are seeded. There are
many types on the market which do
satisfactory work. One should be &C.
cured which will plant the potatoes
at good depth without having too
heavy a draft. The planter should be
SO arranged that the cuttings may be
dropped at different distances apart
in the row. Some planters are so con-
,structed that an extra man may be
employed to see that every space has
q cutting, so that there will be no va
cant places In the field. There are
many good planters on the market.
A potato digger should be used
wherever large areas are grown,
There is a greater diversity OF types
than with any Of the other machinery
used in potato growing. The most
satisfactory type is one which requires
four horses for its operation and runs
the potatoes up over an elevated chain
which jars the dirt loose and leaves
all the tubers on the surface Of the
ground. When this machine 1s used
the potatoes may be dug as fast as g
team of horses can walk. Some use q
small, cheap digger which merely rolls
the potatoes out on the surface OF the
ground. This machine is operated by
two horses. Others plow the pota
toes with an ordinary plow and after
picking up those seen on the ground
harrow it once or twice when the re-
mainder OF the potatoes are gathered
A potato sorter Is good instru
ment to have where large areas OF
QOIotO05 oAo AdAu40U. IL COUSlSCS
merely of cylinder having meshes
Of the proper size through which the
small ones drop as the potatoes are
run through the sorter. This also re
moves the dirt, small stones and such
rubbish. A sorter might be made o1
narrow strips or Stats In the form OF 8
straight shute over which the pota
toes should be shoveled II they are tc
be stored.
Any straight toothed harrow may be
used; however, on light soil a light
harrow is best. A weeder will dc
good work If used frequently. A har
row may be protitably used until the
potatoes have reached the height o1
about four to five inches.
Any type of cultivator used on the
farm will be satisfactory. but one
1l0cDAl FEEn1AIN n