Gunnison news-champion., 1917-06-29
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CULTIVATION OF sPuDs
Successful Msatrsse Grower Tells .ef
Msthsds Ger Handling Growing Pc
tate Crop Under Irrigation.

II we may judge from the remarks
Of many growers there is q good deal
Of doubt as to the best way Of hand
ling a growing potato crop and in the
last issue of the Montrose Enter
prise we find an interview with q sue
cessful grower of that country who
does not wish his name printed. He
believes his system will eradiate all
diseases and produce profitable crop
every year. He states few first prin-
ciples and then goes into detail rs fol-
lows:
First, cover the land before plow-
! ing with very coarse, half rotted ma
nure, which must be very thoroughly
torn to pieces and evenly placed on
the land with the spreader.
Second, double disc the ground
early and plow when the moisture
content is such that ground will be
most mellow. and follow with har-
row at once.
! Third, land thus treated will not
need irrigation for = considerable
time. When irrigation begins, it
should be in alternate rows, allowing
not less than four days between ir-
rigatine the first half and the second
half Of the rows. cultivating immed-
/ lately after each application Of the
| water.
Fourth. keep the ridges dry at the
time the water Il turned Oh, and,
of course, = Ill tinnea A sufficient
!. amount e watss viii - drawn up "a
The tuber bed by capillary attraction
II the surface Of. the ridge Il tho
rough dry soil mulch. This il the
most important rule in irrigation
farming.
Fifth, zee that the cellar has been
thoroughly disinfected by fumiga-
tion IL It has ever contained contam-
mated potatoes.
The rules that have sisted, COW
er only : few Of the things that the
farmer does to produce crop Of
potatoes. but they arc at the founda-
ton Of what success I have attained
and they are the few rules which are
most commonly violated, and their
violation, in my opinion, il the prin-
cipal cause Of spud diseases and re-
duced yields.
.Coing hand in hand with these
rules must 80 careful SEED selection
and general good farming. :"
Ayou said you would explain those
rules the interviewer remarked.
"Please explain why you would spread
eoarse, half rotted manure"
ut prevents the Land from settling
down md becoming to- compact Po-
tatoss must have very loose eoil. The
Atnesphese must havs fsss eireula-
tion through the scfl. Fres atu,os-
phsre eirculatien 4 eertain death to
~ potato diseases prevalent here,
vhsa sood farming Il 'ethsrwise
doae.r n ,
Explain IL second rule; ABOUT disc
Ing before plowfng.v
1hat = for several purpoeoos t.
Md ~ nSefstnre IN ~ land en-
- paowsd; - cat ti,e mannse T. pis-
~ = ssears ! ptlvsrissd eonditien
he3e1 ~ sd I'D ~ 70 sseure uni-
4orm eoppAetien, ~ soil tsxtars.~ =
eWh1t ale III bens4lts u irfi9ntine
alteznate ropD - q q
TT prevents tndne sa&uration with
sssultant settling and kardaning IL
IL soil; cpnserves II uaofstura: ~
lowB H. air NE circulation tAruu9A
IT, soil: prevents eyapor1tion With n
chilling s&eefs presorves uniSotznfty
- tenpsfatlsp, isves water and a.
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