The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1917-06-07

(By II. NJ. George, for six yea
editor of The American Homestea
national farm monthiy.)
Forty two bushels of potatoes
the season of 1916 from plot I
ground only eight feet square, or q
equivalent of over $4,000 bushels
the acre of ground space used was u
astonishing feat Of X. +. Hendricks
"a resident Of Kansas City, Missouri.
This sensational achievement wa
made possible by the use of an entire
ly new and original method which
when generally introduced, promise
not only TO recolutionize the poiat'
world but TO solve the problem Of ~
unfailing source of cheap food suppl,
for the nations Of the earth.
The story Of Mr.. Hendricks success
full experiments IN potato growing
covers a period Of three years, sounds
more like a fairy tale than = recital
of facts, yet it IS So unique and IN
teresting that il s; once eompels at
tention. Expert gardeners and farm
ers who have looked into the plan
carefully pronounce it not only prae-
teal but call the originator the great
est plant wizard Of the age, and de-
clare that he has anything IN plant
culture and intensive agriculture
beaten by a wide margin.
Like all great discoveries, Mr.. Hen
bricks method Of raising potatoes is
founded on such simple elemental
principles that one wonders why
someone didn't think it out before
He had often watched the potato pile
in the cellar bin, which every spring
sent out its shoots through every
possible crack and crcvice. Some
times these sprouts would crawl out
along the floor a distance Of seven
feet in order to reach the light. From
his beginning he conceived the idea
that if this pile was removed out into
the open and given soil and fertilizer,
with proper conditions Of light and
moisture. that the potatoes would
grow and reproduce their kind.
Three years ago he built what he
called a potato PEN" which was
nothing more or less than a huge po-
tato hill, the sides of which were sup
ported by loosely constructed en-
closure. built after the fashion OF an
old rail fence. Within this enclosure,
only by feet in size, he planted
his potatoes in thin layers of dirt and
manure, piling one layer on another
until the pen was eight feet high.
The potato pen" became mound of
green. He found that his potatoes not
only grew better than they did in the
cellar but that at digging time he was
able to harvest 40 bushels of as fine
potatoes as are grown anywhere. The
year he secured 32 bushels
in the same size pen, and last year the
total of az bushels.
Up to this time Mr.. Hendricks has
his experiments unknown
10 but few of his most intimate assoc
ates, but owing to the present food
shortage, and the nationwide cam
,aign to speed up food production, he
decided to give up his discovery for
he free use Of the people everywhere.
The details of the construction and
management of these potato pens"
IS described by Mr.. Hendricks, out
inc plan by which anyone can raise
II the potatoes needed for an average
amily for a whole year. The potato /,
ems may be built eight feet wide by
NY length, just so they are built
trong enough to keep the sides from
preading. Most any kind of good
tout material can be used. If light
imber or boards are used the pen
lay be braced through the center :
18th wires. Rich earth and well rot
ID manure must be on hand in suf- ="
cient quantities to fill the pen to the ="
70. =,
The potato pen is built six feet by G,
ght, inside measurment, and is six OF
,et high. The pen is built as each in
yer is placed and planted. You can ii
Sc by 6 inch boards for the ends vi
I'd sides, leaving a PA inch space III
tween the boards for the potato SO
'routs to come through. Start the
N with a six inch layer of dirt pr
hen mark off the plat foot each lie
ay. allowing six inches Of space for tn