Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-04-18
Certified Seed.

0urincr the mast wear, q few men in
the county took advantage OF the OPP
portunity offered by the state depart
ment of agriculture TO grow certified
seed potatoes. There is = big de-
mand from the southern markets for
northern grown, certified seed pota-
toes-a much larger demand than
there is supply. While the price OF
potatoes viii doubtless drop consid-
cradle before another fall, it viii be
a paying proposition to plan on some
potatoes to sell If not to raise for
seed. Even though there be q large
crop this coming season. there VIII
be a ready market and no one need
worry lest he have 10 feed out his po-
tatoes TO get rid of them.
It seems worth while st this june
ture to print the directions given by
Commissioners Brigham for the grow
ing of Irish Cobbler and Green Noun
tain potatoes for seed purposes.
ssSeed, should be kept dormant in
the spring by holding at low tenn
perature. When it begins TO sprout,
or two weeks before planting, dlsln-
feet by soaking for two hours IN
solution of one pint formaldehyde to
thirty gallons of water, then spread
on a barn floor in a layer not over
three inches IN thickness, and expose
to the light
Tough green sprouts viii start
out which, If handled carefully viii
not be broken off in planting. These
| sprouts viii enable the cutter TO tell
| definitely If the seed pieces have at
least one good strong eye.
Sprouts of the Irish Cobbler vari-
ETY. viii show typical rose purple col
or.
Sprouts of the Green Mountain
variety viii be green.
when cutting be sure to throw out
/ all seed, the sprouts of which, do not
| show the typical color Of the variety.
From Cobblers be especially care
/ full TO throw out potatoes of the Rural
| New Yorker group, which have a
very deep purple colored sprout.
"Cut to from one to two eyes,
/ leaving each seed piece chunked IN
/ shape and large enough to produce a
! good strong plant. Do not cut too
/ long before planting, especially IL
/ sprouts are started out because in
/ warm weather rootlets viii start out
1 at the base of the sprouts and the
/ seed will be injured. Discard any
| seed tubers which show signs of rot
or pronounced discolorations These
may be evidence Of disease.
sPLANTING-Pu of seed
| potatoes do not ike overgrown tubers,
/ therefore, potatoes for seed should
| be crowded closer together. With
/ good weather conditions. rich soil. and
4 abundance of fertilizer and good care,
/ seed potatoes of the size desired may
/ be obtained by planting ten to twelve
! inches apart In the row and rows
/ thirty-three inches apart. Do not
I plant Irish Cobblers for seed until
| after June 1St.
/ @'FERTILIZER- to use
/ viii depend upon the richness of the
land 1t viii probably pay to use
/ 1000 lbs. TO the acre on fertile soil
I and up TO 1000 lbs. per acre on land
which IS not rich Use q high-grade
{ fertilizer.
( Applications up to 1000 lbs. to the
/ acre may be put in the row If care
/ fully mixed with the soil. When
| planting by hand do not drop the fer
/ tlllzer ina heap around the seed piece,
I but distribute fertilizer evenly in the
/ trench and mix with the soil by run
ming the plow through the furrow a
second time.
"SCAB- Potato-planting time will
be with us within a few weeks and
the question IS: are those seed pota-
/ toes going to be disinfected or are we
going to dig a lot of scabby potatoes
next 4du- L OTT1alQGQyQ6 costs little
compared to the loss In market value
of a lot of scabby potatoes. 1t is
good insurance to soak the seed Just
the same as it is good business to in
sure your farm buildings
THE METHOD-One pint of form
aldehyde to 80 gallons of water de-
pending on the amount of seed.
| Soak the potatoes for two hours, re
move from the solution and spread to
! dry on the barn floor The solution
of formaldehyde may be used over
several times without losing its
strength.
do not place treated seed into IN
treated bags. Be sure to treat the
bags as well as the potatoes.
do not plant potatoes on ground
recently lined or on land to which
wood ashes are applied this year. To
do so may mean very scabby potatoes
IN spite of treating the seed. Clean
seed and clean ground, grow clean
potatoes