The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1913-12-02
DRY FARM POTATOES
rubers Known to Yield as High
as $50 Bushels Per Acre.
Method Of Preparing Land for Crop
win Vary with Different Kinds
OF Sell and Season When
Task 10 Performed.

cultural COllcge.)
That potatoes will grow and pro
duce "A good crop on dry land has been
proved by tests at the different ex.
pertinent stations and by trials made
by the farmers. Potatoes upon dry
land sod have been known to yield as
high as $50 bushels per acre. Not only
do We get a good crop. but the soil Is
left in excellent physical condition for
the following crop.
The method OF preparing the soil
for potatoes will, Of course, vary with
the different kinds OF soil and the
season In which the land Is prepared.
Some farmers have had good results
by blowing and preparing the soil In
the fall. However, good results a
be obtained by spring preparation. IN
the latter event the sod should be
plowed as early In the spring as the
weather will permit and the plow
should be Immediately followed with
the disk and roller. This IL for the
purpose Of packing down and re-es-
ta~blishing capillary attraction. The
water can thus come up from below
and aid in ~decaying the roots and or
ganic matter.
The depth should not be less than
five inches. II We have our surface
soil packed down. II Is oftentimes ad'
visable TO run over the land with q
disk harrow and later with n smooth
ing harrow. The disk harrow tends to
I-.l. A.. ILL. 49,. ~ .n A. ~
the high places. The smoothing har'
row makes the dust mulch and pre-
vents the evaporation OF the soil
moisture. This Is exceedingly valu.
able in all parts OF the semi.arid west;
1t not only keeps In a good deal OF
moisture. but also prevents the growth
of weeds. Raw land that has been
plowed in the spring In this manner
Is rot usually planted TO potatoes UNI
I'll the following spring, but the land
Is summe fallowed during that sea-
son. This gives sufficient time for
places the soil In good physical con.
dition for the following crop.
The next spring when the ground Is
sufficiently dry. 1t is re.plowed 70 q
depth OF eight or nine inches, FOL.
lowed Immediately with the disk and
the harrow. Not more than half q
day should elapse before the plow.
ing and the disking or narrowing. IL
more than this amount OF time passes.
the surface will become lumpy and
cloddy and as a result be very di'h'
cult 10 work.
There Is another danger that con.
fronts the farmer at this season OF
the year. and that Is the pudding OF
the soil. The soil should not be
worked when there Is a large amount
OF water In II. AS soon as the seed
bed Is prepared, we are ready to plant
out potatoes. The time that the pota'
toes should be placed in the soil
will vary with the type OF soil and
locality. II Is nearly always safe TO
put the seed In the ground as early
as possible.
The method OF planting Is usually
about the same as that for corn. The
seed Is placed about 20 inches apart
In the row and the rows about three
feet six inches apart. II Is covered
to q depth OF from two and one.half
to four inches. The rows are har'
rowed crosswise after planting and
this narrowing IL kept up for ten or
a dozen days or until the potatoes are
too large; then the cultivator IL used
during the remainder Of the season,
The purpose OF this narrowing and
cultivation IL 70 prevent the evapora'
ton OF moisture and to destroy the
weeds. Some farmers advocate culti'
waiting every ten days or as often al
the condition OF the soil permits. In
Cur dry lang region we should not
allow the surface OF the soil to be-
come crusted. Potatoes handled In
this way nearly always produce a IN
vorable crop. However, there may be
n few factors that will interfere with
the production OF a good crop,
In nearly all parts Of the west the
potato beetle causes IA great deal oil
damage. We need not experience
much difficulty with this bug II We
follow n rigid process OF spraying
The potato car be sprayed with n SO
luton OF paris green. in the proper
ton of about one pound OF paris greer
to 80 gallons OF water. This vii
treat u large area OF the potatoes. IN
the application OF this solution We
should never place 1t upon the wines
when there Is danger OF rain, but l,
should be applied early In the morn
ing OF some bright. clear day.
Two or three crops OF potatoes car
be raised upon the same land In sue
cession II We use care In our method
OF soil preparation and In our seeC
selection. The principal things to re
member are to have good clean seet
and to plant this seed upon good
clean well Drepared soil,