Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-04-24
How 10 GrowIrish Potatoes In Lots
Or City Yards to Get Best Results
Also Tell. How Eggs May Be
Kept From Spring Until
Christmas Without Cold Stor-
age Plant. III. H..

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Good land, well prepared.
Abundance Of available plant food
and moisture.
Selection of proper varieties
Good seed and good tillage.
Thorough protection of the plants
against insect and fungous pests.
The types Of soil in which the potato
plant thrives best are those designated
as sandy or gravelly loan soils. It
may be grown with fair degree OF
success on any type of soil except loose
sand and a heavy, sticky clay soil, pro-
vided the land is well drained and con-
tains the necessary plant food.
Successful potato production is de-
pendent to a large extent on the thor
oughness with which the land is pre-
pared before planting the crop. Where
horse can be used the land should be
plowed from eight to ten inches deep.
provided the surface soil is of stIffi-
cient depth to permit it. 1t Is never
advisable to turn up more than one
ing, so If previous plowings have not
been over six inches the maximum
depth at which it should be plowed is
seven inches.
Where hand labor is employed the
same rule should govern as to depth.
In spading, especially on grass or
waste land. turn the earth bottom
side up.
Whether the land is plowed or spad-
ed, it should be thoroughly pulverized
Immediately afterward. 1t is bad
practice to allow the freshly turned
soil to bake in the sun and wind and
thereby become cloddy, and at the
same time lose large percent Of its
moisture
Where horse labor can be used, the
land after blowing should be thorough
~ disked first. then spring toothed, ard
finally finished with smoothing har-
row. Where land must be prepared by
hand, it is good practice to pulverize
the soil as much as possible when spad-
ing it up, after which it can be put in
a fine condition Of mellowness with
steel garden rake. The Importance of
thoroughly filming the soil cannot be
overemphasized, for it increases the
water holding capacity Of the soil, rem
ders more plant food available and re-
duces the number of weeds.
Varieties Adapted to Localities.
In the northeastern United States
and along the south Atlantic seaboard
the Irish Cobbler, Early Petoskey or
Early Standard, all Of which are prac-
tically identical, may be expected to
produce larger crops and be more gen
orally satisfactory for an early crop
than the others mentioned. Quick
Lunch and New Queen would be re-
garded as second choices for this sec-
ton.
In the south central and southwest
ern states the Triumph may be expect
ed to give results equal to or even bet
ter than the Irish Cobbler.
In the middle west the Early Ohio
should do well, while the Early Har-
vest and Early Rose may be regarded
as second choices.
Late Varieties.
In the New England states, Long Is
land and northern New York the
Green Mountain, Gold Coin, Delaware
and other late varieties Of that class do
best.
In northern Michigan, Wisconsin and
Minnesota the late varieties named
above do about as well as the Rural
New Yorker No. 2 and are superior to
it in table quality.
In western New York, southern
Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa the
Rural New Yorker No. 2, Sir Walter
Raleigh and Carman No. are the best
adapted varieties and divide honors
with the Green Mountain In the north
ern portions Of these states.
Throughout Maryland, Virginia and
the Carolinas, Tennessee and Georgia
the variety known as Mccormick IS
quite generally grown as a late va
riety. In favorable season the Green
Mountain can also be grown.
Depth to Plant.
Plant the small eye cuttings from
one and one-half to three inches deep,
depending upon the character Of the
soil-the lighter the soil the greater
the depth Of planting. Larger sets may