The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-01-31
given the treatment and are neces-

Inc best potatoes III the SldIS di0
produced on the medium sandy loan.
soils which are underlaid with Srav-
Ell, sand, lava-rock or porous white
clay Heavy, stiff soils are not suit
able for potato production. This is
in a great measure due to the soil be-
coming packed by rains, or running
together when irrigated, thus eXclud-
ing air. Often in this kind of soil
the tubers are found to be enclosed
in an apparent shell of clay and
growth is practically stopped. 1t is
these soils which usually produce
knotty, ununiform, diseased potatoes.
Other things being equal, if the hills
in which the tubers are forming can
not be dug into with the naked hand.
the soil is too heavy for good potato
production, and more suitable soil
should be found or the soil question
should be plentifully supplied with
organic matter and thoroughly work
ed over. Such soils take much more
work and time to develop into a good
potato soil than the returns justify.
Alfalfa is natural forerunner of
the potato in that it affords a good
supply of nitrogen and humus and
aids very materially in loosening up
the soil to permit of ready aeration.
The mineral plant foods with rare ex-
ception, are already abundant in prac-
tically all Idaho soils and then the
effect of two or three of alfalfa
growing, combined with the turning
under in the fall of the last crop, is
added, an ideal seedbed for produc-
ton of the Irish tuber is in the max
ing.
In order to subdue alfalfa land
for crop of potatoes the following
season, it is very essential that the
alfalfa be crowned" in the fall, that
is plowed about inches deep. This
exposes the crowns to winter freez-
ing and thawing thus killing most OF
them. Any that are still alive in the
spring can be easily killed when the
land is again plowed in the spring.
but this time to a depth Of from S
to 10 inches. The deepe' the better
as long as too much subsoil is not
brought to the surface, Deep plow-
ing affords an excellent storage res
ervoir for spring precipitation, in
creases aeration, and leaves the soil
in loose friable condition, and at
the same time puts the alfalfa
crowns down where they will not
cause trouble in cultivation and puts
them where they will readily decay
and be incorporated in the soil, thus
making plant food readily available.
After this deep blowing the land
should be thoroughly worked down
and. pulverized with disk harrow
or similarly effective tool, then har-
rowed and 1oated.
Potatoes, or pieces of potatoes
when planted will sprout without
moisture but they will not root I'M
less moist earth touches the seed
piece. proper seed-bed therefore
is one which, among other things,
contains sufficient moisture to cause
the potato to root. Summer follow
ing, fall blowing, spring blowing and
additional tillage and irrigation in
spring before blowing or even in
late fall are all means of securing
this desirable condition of the seed
bed.
Decayed vegetable matter incor
porated in the soil is the best mois
ture storage reservoir that can be
produced, and in addition to that;
it adds very materially in loosenins
up the soil, thus permitting ready
air penetration. and in building VI
the mechanical condition Of the soil;
thus causing the soil to be worked
more easily.
Care should be taken in supplying
manure, however, when it is inten
ded to improve the potato crop II
order to thoroughly incorporate i
into the soil before the potatoes are
planted otherwise excellent condi
lions are afforded for the growth
and reproduction of disease germs af
fecting the tuber The fall plowins
of green manure crops or of land ma
nured crops. or of land MANFRED il
| the fall has been found satisfactory
in old potato growing sections.
The potato is deep rooted croI
and must form it's tubers beneath
the surface of the soil and it there
fore requires a deeper, looser more
porous seed-bed than do any of tn,
grain crops. Hence for the uniform
perfect development of the potato
| there must be constant SUNNY q