The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-11-14

product Few crops pay better. In
times when grain is dear or scarce
culled potatoes, or any surplus that
may be on hand, should be boiled and
mixed with bran or middlngs. Pre-
pared In this way they have high feed
ing value. Any farmer who is well
supplied with potatoes is able to Sc
cure much better results with poultry,
hogs and cattle than he otherwise
could without feeding out higher pric-
ed material
The soil must be In the best possible
condition as regards filth and fertility.
The dirt should be made fine and mel
low to a good depth before planting
the seed. If the piece is of clover sod
the time for blowing does not count so
much, but fall blowing is usually best
and an application Of small coat Of
manure is good and enables us to re-
duce the expense Of commercial fer
tiliZer at least one-half and to further
increase the yield. Use the manure
only In the fall. If the soil Is not sat
isfactory 1t will pay to harrow In 1000
, pounds of potash to the acre in the
spring, sowing it with planter.
Early potatoes should be planted as
early in the spring as 1t Is feasible to
work the land irrespective Of locality.
Late potatoes are extensively grown
In the north, and the planting should
be done In May. The rows should be
two and a half feet apart and the hills
| fourteen to eighteen inches apart In
! the row. Lay off the rows with a one
horse plow or lister, and drop the seed,
one or two pieces in a place, In the
bottom of the furrow. Cover the seed
to a depth Of about four inches, using
| q hoe or q one horse plow for the pur-
pose. One to three weeks VIII be re-
| Quired for the potatoes to come up, de-
pending entirely upon the temperature
, Of the soil. The ground may freeze
slightly after the planting has been
done, but so long as the frost does not
reach the seed potatoes no harm viii
result and growth will begin as soon
as the soil becomes sufficiently warm.
AS soon as the potatoes appear above
J the ground and the rows can be fol-
lowed the surface should be well stir
/ red by means Of one of the harrow
toothed cultivators. Good cultivation
should be maintained throughout the
growing season, with occasional hand
hceing, If necessary, to keep the
I ground free from weeds. Toward the
last the soil may be well worked up
around the plants to hold them erect
and protect the tubers from the sun
after the vines begin to die.
| By far the simplest and most prom
Using means Of developing high grade
seed potatoes is that of the tuber unit
and hill selection methods The for
mer consists in selecting from the seed
bin before planting time a. considerable
number Of the most perfectly shaped
tubers of from six to eight ounces in
4 weight When planted these tubers
are sliced, as dropped. into four as
nearly equal parts as possible. This
Is done by splitting the bud eye clus-
ter in each direction from seed to stem
end Of the tuber. The four pieces Of
each tuber are dropped consecutively
In the row at a distance Of from ten to
twelve inches apart in the furrow. All
tubers showing discoloration of the
flesh or other evidence Of disease
should be rejected.
The hill selection method consists In
marking the most promising plants
during the growing season. At har-
vesting time save only those which
| give greatest promise. Keep the proge-
ny Of each hill separate and take the
same means as outlined for the tuber
unit. Plant on the tuber unit basis the
following season.