The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1913-03-13
HOW TO PLANT
IRISH POTATOES


farm magazines, his views coincide
with my own so nearly on The prepare.
ton, planting and culture OF early
irish potatoes, that | can hardly in
the preparation OF This arliclegel away
from his wording and phraseology,
however there are a few points on
which We differ out which do not ma
terialy effect the result, but will be
pointed out in this article.
irish potatoes require soil Of mod
eraiely light loamy nature, The field
for The potato crop should have been
heavily manfred with at least ten
tons per acre, Mr. Harrison suggests
That this manure he broad cast and
turned under. think better plan
is 10 turn The field, then broad cast The
manure and IN The preparation OF the
seed bed il is pu;verized and mixed
with The soil. The disc harrow is the
best tool To use in this preparation.
1t is hard 10 emphasize the,umportance
of thorough seed bed preparation
enough. When you think you have
the soil in such Il god condition that
II could not he improved, do the job
over again. Then il youd do not get
Chance to do any more preparatory
work youcan @ ahead with the pant
ing. The seed bed being ready Sc
iect as near medium sized tubers as
can get While believe the largest
tubers are better, but owing to the cost
! us, the medium size. These are cut
two eyes 10 the piece, making the
/ pieces as large a> possible, as the piece
If seed poteto suslains the plant until
it takes root.
In marking or laying Oft the field |
lse No. turning plow. making The
furrow rs deep as possible and about
three feet part In this lurrow is
scattered about 800 pounds rs per cent,
acid phosphate / follow this with an
| ordinary bull tongue pillow, in the bot
tom of the iurrow, which mikes the
phosphate with the soil. The seed is
then dropped one piece to every II
inches. The burrows are then hlled by
running on each side with the same
No. turner.
This will leave The field in ridges
eight or ten inches high. 1t is lett in
this condition until The potato plant
is within an inch of the surface. Then
tlkean ordinary drag harrow and cross
the ridges. This in my opinion is the
best cultivation The crop gets. 1t is
not only advantageous to the potato
plant but il gives a set back 10 the first
growth Of weeds. Within three or
four days after this Is done, the one
horse cultivator should be brought
forward and be kept in use al least
once or twice a week untilthe potatoes
lire in bloom. The last time ..ou go
lover with the clhiiralor SOW about one
bushel OF COW peas per acre; in about
ten days the potato plants begin 10 die
and the peas get n chance. When they
mature the moving machine is put on
aud enough hay taken of The field to
pap for all fertilizer and labor, incident
to tho potato crop. besides the field is
left clean and loose for The potato har-
vest. When YOU are ready to dig the
crop, sow X bushels OF rye per acre,
l. Sc the same small plow sci 10 run
deep. Run three times to the row,
once on each side. th?nu under the pota.
tos turning them out, This practically
works all the land. Two or three mel,
can pick up and sack almost as fast as
they are plowea out.
In the afternoons use the drag har.
row To level the part gone over during
The day. This will find what potatoe.
were missed in the first picking beside.
getting The land in good shape for the
rye.
After the crop is all pitted, Figure
up" and if your yield is not upward OF
200 bushels per acre tlhe season consid
ered) you had better kick Yourself, be-
cause you have slept on Toe job some
where.