The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1912-05-31

IL. II.
kota.)
II Is a common belief that IL We
purchase a variety OF potatoes from a
scotsman that we have secured just
one variety. This Is true in measure.
II the scotsman Is reliable. he will
send potatoes that are uniform In
color. depth OF eyes, earliness OF ma
turing, and other qualities. But I'M
less these particular potatoes have
been pedigreed, then We have not re-
ceived one thing but many.
The farmer can demonstrate this
fact to his own satisfaction. At dig
ging time let him lay off portion OF
q row containing 100 hills. In order
to show this, each hill must have
come from only one piece OF seed.
The 100 hills are dug and the tubers
OF each hill are kept by themselves
on top of the hill. The products OF
the 100 hills are now ready to be
studied.
At first glance the hills may appear
to run very uniformly. A little closer
view will reveal the fact that about
the only thing that is uniform is that
they are all potatoes. The first hill
has one large one, two medium-siZed
ones and half-adozen small ones. The
next hill has one medium-sized one
and several small ones. Perhaps the
next hill has three or four good-sized
pnes. Another hill has solitary
huber, but OF good size. Perhaps an
bther hill has nothing but little runts.
Thus II goes through the 100 hills.
tThe ordinary farmer will pick up the
hubers from all OF the hills and put
them all together. lie does this COM
lplacently and with satisfaction. His
fathers did II before him and all OF
his neighbors do 1t. Why Should not
ne?
Late in winter, when he begins to
read the seed catalogs. he wonders
why on earth, or under 1t, he cannot
raise such splendid crops OF potatoes
AS he sees pictured. Now. that is the
point l am getting at; our variety is
not q unit.
In our 100 hills that we have dug,
close study might reveal the presence
stead OF the one that We thought We
had.
The hill that bore the little runts
has the runt character as a habit. II
Is going to persist for years. and every
time We plant seed OF that strain we
will know to a certainty that We will
harvest little potatoes.
The hill that produces one or two
large and several small ones, is a com
mon feature OF potato fields.
The hill that bore three or -four
good-sized tubers Is the one to fasteu
our eyes on. That is the hill that has
ability and the one that We should gel
next to.
We will assume that we have thres
tubers to every hill and that the total
weight Of the three tubers is one and
one-half pounds. There is nothing alb
surd In this, for often an individual
tuber will weigh more.
We will further assume that oul
rows are three and one-half feet apart
and that our hills are two feet apar,
In the row. This Is open planting
probably more open than is commonly
practiced.
At this rate OF planting there viii
be $500 hills per acre. assuming near
~ Q perfect stand. With one and one
half pounds per hill. We would have {
neld of 155 bushels per acre. a yielG
worth striving for by the majority o
farmers.
Now 1t may be that the hill will
the three or four good tubers will no
breed true, but the chances are that
vim. The offspring Of the hill is a
most certain to produce a certain pei
centage Of small tubers, but We ma
count upon 1t that 1t will produce
lesser percentage Of small tubers thal
the average hill.
What Q farmer should do at potato
'digging time L. to dig fair-size
patch. leaving each hill by itseli
After the patch II dug he should care
fully 90 over the patch and select on
thoss hills that have few tubers Q
Oood sisa.
The tubers from those hills shout
- sacked BY themselves and lai
nay eos sesd Tor the year following