New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-01-09
IRISH POTATOES.
BY A, G. Bernard.

blowing. If it has not alread,
been so plowed, do not wal
another day, do it now, and if W
should have packing rains be
fore planting, run the harrow
over the land after each rair
Plow broadcast. If you have an,
Of your land that has been in "ho,
crops this last year or legumin
oCs or COW pea crops, this is you
best land for potatoes. After
blowing with either the turning O
dis pillow, pulverize finely you
land by use Of the harrow and C olt
crusher. When planting time al
rIyes draw your rows, as STATED
in last week s issue about two and
a half to three feet apart.
You are ready for your ferti.
lizer, that is, provided you are
going to use commercial feltiliz-
er. If so apply the fertilizer
either two weeks before planting
or at planting time, this really
makes little difference provided
the fertilizer is well incorporat-
ed in the soil at planting time.
Stable manure or green manure is
good in its place and time, and
would make the most excellent
fertilizer for potatoes if you have
plowed it under at least about
eight months before planting your
potatoes and it is thoroughly de-
composed, but do not under any
circumstances apply green stable
n:auure to your land Just ABOUT
planting time.
II You have thoroughly decom-
posed stable manure which is I'M
ieacled you might pillow it under
Nov, but beware Of putting any
g1cer manure. In the first place
it will not decompose quickly
enough to furnish available plant
food for the rapidly growing
plant and in the second place it is
likely to injure the potato.
If you have not already fer
tilted, then, it is best that you
use the commercial fertilizer;
either buy what is known as a
complete fertilizer Or buy the in
gradients separately and mix
them yourself. the latter method
while more laborious to the mex
perienced, is more economical.
The three constituents neces-
sary in fertilizer are: Nitro
gen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash.
Cotton Seed meal is one Of the
cheapest things to be used in the
South for our Nitrogen supply,
altho it takes about two weeks
to become available. TaDkage,
raw bone meal, Dried blood and
especially Nitrate of Soda (Chili
Salt Peter.) Nitrate of Soda I'M
questionably ranks about our best
as Nitrogen source. 1t is i'm
mediately available, but teaches
readily. Acid Phosphate is
usually used for our Phorphorus
supply, and this is made by ap-
plying to one ton say of the pure
ground rock phosphate, one ton
of sulphuric acid. The sulphu-
ric acid is added to aid the de-
composition. But when you are
not in a hurry about your fertiliz-
err, it is much cheaper and be-
lieve you will get better results
by getting the pure ground rock
phosphate from the mines in Ten
nessee and applying to your land.
If YOU have manure to add to it
Or you have land that was in cow
peas or other leguminous crops
you need not worry about the rock
phosphate becoming available. for
these things will have the effect
that the sulphuric acid has.
Potash may be bought as
Kainit, as the sulphate of potash
Or as the muriate of potash. You
may make your own fertilizer for
,ur lands about as follows: $50
pounds of cotton seed meal, 225
pounds of acid phosphate con-
IA per cent available
phosphoric acid and Is pound of
muriate of potash. The muriate
Of potash contains about fifty per
cent Of potash, the KANT twelve
Der cent.
You can good potato fertiliz-
ar already mixed, but whether
you mix them or buy it already
mixed it should contain about
three or four per cent of nitrogen,
six to eight per cent of phos-
ohoric acid and eight to ten per |
cent of potash, preferably ten
Der cent. as the potato draws