The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1917-03-02

Harvesting and the danger of a de.
fcient stand when weather conditions
|are unfavorable. Very shallow plant
ing reduces the yield and Injuries the
Iqulity of the crop.
THE rural trench system consists In
lplanting the pieces in deep trenches
made either by the spade or plow. 1t
differs from other methods chiefly in
the greater care take nto secure q
Thorough preparation beneat hthe po-
tato. To this end, deep and wide
trenches are formed, the bottoms are
lpulverized and a portion of the fine
earth which was removed in forming
1.-THE trenches Is raked back into the
burrows, so that the set Is planted on
top of a bed of fine, we'll prepared soil
and at depts of to inches. Fertli-
izers are placed near the esed pieces
above or below, but separated from
them by a thin layer Of soil. The
trenches are then filed and level cul-
turs Is practiced.
! AT least three American experiment
stations have conducted tests to learn
the effect of cutting seed potatoes
several. days or weeks in advance Of
planting The results varies somewhat
according to the lentgh ftime that
the cut seed remained implanted, but
on teh whole indicated no marked diff
ference in productiveness between
Jplanting freshly cut pieces and those
that had been cut for a week or less
"The investigations of Kraus and Of
IWollny in Germany led to the conclu-
sion that slight whiting fthe seed
pieces increased the yield on moist
soils and in wet seasons, but reduced
| it. on soils not retentive of water and
| in dry stesons.
"On the whole it appears that the
storing of cut pieces for several days
which sometimes becomes necessary,
Is attended with no great disadvan-
taken in such instances to prevent
heating, and it may be well to dust the
cuttings with gypsum Gland plaster)
to prevent excessive willing.
ITO test the effect on the yield Of
using seed potatoes from different To-
calities, several varieties of potatoes
grown in Vermont and in Maryland
were planted in both states. The seed
grown In Vermont gave larger yields
than that grown in Maryland.
ut has been found advantageous to
change seed potatoes every few years
but from the small amount Of definite
experimental data now available, we
believe that no final conclusion can be
drawn as to the effect of the practice.
To make the change, tubers of the de-
sired strain may be sent to the grower
at distance, and after two years cul-
ture under new conditions the stock
may be brought back to its original
home.
common practice in the regions
where second crop can be grown on
the same land IN the same year Is to
plant In the spring small area with
Northrn seed potatoes. replanting the
resulting tubers in July or August,
and using the crop produced in the fall
fol the main spring planting. BY this
course seed is renewed frequently
without sacrificing any of the advan-
tages resulting from the use of second
crop seed stock, such as freedom from
sprouting, etc.
When potatoes are cut in half
through their smaller diameter we
have seed or bud end more or less
crowded with eyes and q stem or bud
end on which there are only a few
eyes. The experiments to determine
the relative value of cuttings from the
stem end and from the seed end of the
tuber have been numerous. The ma
jority Of these showed that the yield
was greater when the seed end was
used. The superior productiveness of
the seed end as compared with the
ste mendstem end was maintained,
whether the halves of the potatoes,
the thirds, or smaller cuttings were
employed.
In a few instances however, the re-
suits suggested that the general sup
eriority of the seed end may not ~be
maintained with some varieties and
with immature seed tubers.
The growth of sprouts made before
planting are made at the expense of
the tubers from which they draw their
support. Hence if these rots are rub
bed off before planting there is a to-
tai loss of the nutriment contained in
them. Moreover, numerous weak
shoots grow from the injured eye. To
prevent these evil consequences of
premature sprouting, seed potatoes
are stored in a dark, dry, cool place.
In spite of all precautions the tubers
sometimes sprout; but when practic-
able, only potatoes that have not COM
menced to sprout should be selected
for planting.
III the eye appears dormant in the
spring, seed potatoes may be exposed
to the light and warmth for few days
before plating so as to promote ger
mination and prompt growth. If long
exposed, sprouts will form and care
ful cutting and planting by hand be-
comes necessary. so as to avoil break
ing off these sprouts.
A busher of potatoes $50 pounds)
may contain 240 quarter pound tubers.
When the seed pieces are planted
foot apart in foot rows an acre re-
quires 14.52O sets. When tubers aver
aging ounces are planted an acre
requires at these distances go bushels
flor planting whole potatoes, 80 BUSH
els when halves are used, and IS
bushels when quarters are used. In a
number of tests the amount of seed
cut to two eyes, spaced 1 by feet,
averaged 13 bushels of seed to the
acre, the usual range being from 10
to IL bushels to the acre. In eighteen
experiments with varieties the average