The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-20

become dry. A day of two should suf-
| flee for this, and potatoes then should
be put in a shallow box or tray and
placed where it is still cooler. Any
storage condition that will insure them
against frost on the one hand and
undue shriveling on the other should
prove satisfactory.
These seeds can be started indoors,
provided it Is possible to secure suit
able soil and boxes. In such cases
| it may be desirable to plant the eye
cuttings at once, and allow them to
start into growth indoors with the
idea of transplanting them into the
is past and the ground is dry enough
to be cultivated.
Small sized sets require more care.
The smaller the size of the set, or seed
piece, used the more thorough must be
the preparation of the soil. The more
finely the soil is pulverized and the
more uniform the moisture conditions
which can be preserved in the soil, the
better is the chance for the small seed
piece to establish itself. A small set
in rough. lumpy. or dried-out soil has
little chance to live. let alone make q
crop.
Generally speaking. the smaller the
size of the set. the closer it should
be planted in the row If maximum
may be expected to give the best yields
If not spaced more than 10 to IL inches
apart in the row.
How to Grow Potatoes.
Successful potato growing. the gar
den SPECIALISTS advise their CORES
pondents. hinges largely on the follow
ing factors:
l. A good land. we'll prepared.
2. Abundance Of available. plant
food and moisture,
8. Selection of proper varieties.
4. Good seed and good tillage.
8. Thorough protection of the plants
against insect and fungous pests.
Preparing Soil For Potatoes.
The types of soil in which the potato
plant thrives best are those designat-
ed as sandy or gravelly loan soils. 1t
may be grown with a fair degree of
success on any type OF soil except
loose sand and a heavy. sticky clay
soil. provided the land is well drained
and contains the necessary plant food.
Successful potato production is
dependent to a large extent on the
thoroughness with which the land is
prepared before planting the crop.
Where a horse can be used, the land
should be plowed from eight to ten
inches deep, provided the surface soil
is of a sufficient depth to permit 1t.
1t is never advisable to turn UP more
than one inch of raw subsoil at any
one blowing, so If previous plowings
have not been over six inches the
maximum depth at which 1t 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 afterwards. 1t Is a 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 per cent OF Its
moisture.
Where horse labor can be used, the
land after blowing should be thorough
" disked first. then spring toothed,
and finally finished with smoothing
harrow. Where land must be prepared
by hand. it is good practice to pulver-
ize the soil as much as possible when
spading 1t up. after which it can be
put in a fine condition of mellowness
with a steel garden rake. The import
ance of thoroughly filming the soil can
not be overemphasized. for it increas-
es the water-holding capacity of the
soil. renders more plant food available,
and reduces the number of weeds.
VARIETIES ADAPTED TO DIFFER.
EMIT LOCALITIES.
Early Varieties.
In the northeastern United States