Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1913-04-18
THE POTATO CROP

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Do not be discouraged from growing
potatoes with the present low price.
This time in 1912 potatoes were worth
$500 per bushel. One year with another
potato crop is the most profitable that
the farmers of the timbered section Of
northern Minnesota can grow. :.
Potatoes are profitable even at Is
cents per bushel when large yield is
secured per acre. The cost Of growing
potatoes on the experiment farm last
rear was ~ cents per bushel (the reg
tlar field crop.) Every expense was
charged from the cost Of the seed,
which was figured at 81 per bushel to
tho rent of the land, at $3.50 per acre.
Had the crop been sold at Is cents per
bushel from the field there would have
been a net profit Of $4,000 per acre.
The yield was 396 bushels Of market
able potatoes per acre. -~sa
The experiment farm has given, spec
ial attention to the growing Of potato
ee for the past twelve years. It has
grown and improved one variety for
its main field crop, the Carmen No. l.
This variety was selected after being
tested for four years in comparison
with 60 other different varieties. The
Carmen No. ! is a white potato, oval in
shape and medium to late in maturing.
It grows very heavy vine, light green
in color and with a white blossom. On
the market it Classics as Rural. It 10
a good keeper and has excellent table
qualities.
During the past number Of years the
experiment farm has distributed sew
eral thousand bushels Of this seed. 1t
is now the most extensively grown po-
tato in Northeastern Minnesota. The
experiment farm can supply choice
selected seed of this variety this
spring at so cents per bushel.
Factors in Successful Potato Growing
Potatoes do best on sandy loan
soil. Potatoes require well drained
soil-they will not stand water, When
necessary to plant on low land the
ground should be ridged and the po-
tatoes planted on the ridges.
Potatoes require a rich soil, both
in humus and fertility. A clover sod,
manured the year previous gives the
best results. On the experiment farm
potatoes are grown in three-year
rotation; grain, clover and potatoes.
The land is matured every third year,
on the clover, at the rate Of 10 tons
per acre.
The potato ground should be plowed
deep, from to 10 inches. It should be
doubled disced, spring-toothed and har-
rowed thoroughly before planting. The
time Of planting will depend upon the
season, but generally from May Goth
to June LIST, for late potatoes, will
prove satisfactory. :.
Select a variety Of seed that yield
well and that is recognized as stand
gard variety ON the market. Grow only
Tone variety, unless an early and late
variety. The Early Ohio is the most
popular early variety. It has excellent
quality and yields fair. The Triumph is
an early potato grown chiefly for
southern seed. It is rather inferior in
yield and quality. For late potato,
only the white varieties sell to ad-
vantage. Potatoes Of the Carmen and
Rural type are most in demand. It
pays the farmers Of community to
grow the same variety. To command
buyers and establish market the
potatoes Of any section must be uni
form. Mixed potatoes are not wanted
on the market. ~,
f Seed potatoes should be treated every
q year for scab. Soak the seed three
hours before cutting in one pound Of
formaldhyde to 40 gallons of water.
Plant only good sized, well shaped
seed. Small potatoes produce small POI
tatoes. Potatoes run out more from
poor selections of seed than any other
cause. Find the true type Of the variety.
AMI select accordingly.
The amount of seed per acre will de.
pend upon how the seed is cut ard
how planted. Seed cut down to one eye
anil planted one piece in q hill will re-
qu,rt the least amount PER acre Soil
that is rich should be planted more
heavily than soil low IN fertility. lin
the experiment farm the planting is IN
rows three feet apart, with the hills Is
inches apart in the row. The seed il
cut in four and sir pieces, depending
upon the size Of the potato. One:
piece IS planted to the Fill. In 1912, IS.
bushels Of seed wore planted per aere.s
The natural eond itions g ~ timbszs