The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1914-04-17
POTATOES.
How to Grow Them.

For thousands of years, potatoes
have been one OF the dependent crops
and in several countries when there
is failure in the crop, almost food
famine follows. The necessity OF this
crop is greater than one gives credit.
Much attention is given to the Sc
lecting OF seed i'm the past few years
1t ID not generally known that plant
ing potatoes. year after year, in a
climate which allows a long growing
season will deteriorate the quality
and lessen the yield. In the selection
of seed potatoes, you should be sure
they are Northern grown. You can
mostly always tell as potatoes grown
in a climate where there is short
growing season, will have few eyes.
A short season forces them to matur-
ity in a shorter period, giving the
potatoes more vigor which will give
you a more abundant yield III you
plant that class OF seed. They will
also mature ten days to two weeks
earlier than the home grown seeo.
l know of some sections in Maine
where their yields average from $50
to 200 barrels per acre. This is due
to the selection of seed from heavy
yielding crop. They always plant the
seed that has few eyes. So often, per
sons will buy potatoes with the great
er number of eyes. believing they will
get a greater number of pieces from
a bushel of potatoes to plant. This
il poor practice and will be unprofit-
able for your yield.
1t is the nature for potatoes to
grow in the soil. 1t is, therefore,
necessary for you to give your pota-
toes plenty of soil if you desire a big
yield. Arrange your planting 50 you
can FIRST cover four inches and when
you see them peeplng up, put your
drag harrow on and cover another
inch Do this the second time. This
will cover your potatoes six inches
and during the working period al
ways shuttle the soil towards the
potatoes. When you have finished
working them, you will have about
eight to ten inches of soil on your
potatoes. You will find this benefit
if you desire large yield. Have your
rows three feet apart. If you were
planting to grow seed, you should on
ly plant eight inches apart. Never
try to grow seed III you are in long
growing season climate. You can ar
range your planting so that the
potatoes will be immatured by the
time the first frost comes. This crop
will give you a fair yield as seed, as
they will BE- more vigorous by being
forced in a short season.
Always use the Big Crop SEED Po-
tatoes of the highest grade for your
seed, free from scab or blight; and
you will easily add 10 to 25 per cent
to your crop. The U. 5. Department
of Agriculture l. urging farmers to b.
more attentive to the matter of good
seed potatoes, pointing out that the
use of high grade seed would easily
add ten per cent to the crop, or 34,-
100000 bushels, easily worth $4,000
600.
During the growing season, it will
be necessary to spray to keep down
the many insects that oftentimes de-
stroy the whole crop. You will, also,
find it profitable to spray should the
blight appear on your vines. The
very best fertilizer to use on pototoes
fl $3.50. You can use 1000 to 1900
pounds to the acre. I am confident
IL you will follow the above, your
yield will be very gratifying.
If you need any information Oh the
potato culture or diseases. write Mr..
r. J. Bowen, Light and Pratt SITS,
Baltimore, Md.