Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
Connecticut Agricultural Col
 DIRECTIONS FOR PLANTING POTATOES Be Careful of the Seed and the Soil How to Kill the Elusive Bug.

Good seed, good soil, well prepared, fertilized hberal1y and cared for dur
 ing the growing season by cuitivatinS
 freely and spraying thoroughly will
 with favorable climatic conditions
 produce a large and profitable ,.rop of
 potatoes. For each bushel Of seed
 planted ycu.y should under the above conditions get-1S bushels in return. Allow Is bushels Of seed per acre. This seed should be soaked in fornl- lin solution forss2 1-2 hours to k.i1 Scab. and other bacteria diseases found
 on the skin. To make this. solution
 take one pint of formalin and add to
 1t 30 gallons of water --~---- Just before planting cut the pota
 toes. into seed pieces having two strong eyes and weighing around two
 way that the eyes on the end with
 the largest number shall be found
 on each sed piece after cutting
 These eyes produce the stronse5:
 poses. It may be possible to cut the potato nearly in half and save the
 portion with but few eyes for eating
 purposes. If this is done more than
 5 bushels should be allowed from
 the start
 The seed bed should be plowed deep Eetght. to nine inches if, possible) and
 thoroughly narrowed. Many will use
 stable manure. and if plowed will Ee- developing scab. Manure. however, is
 not as necessary in good soils to grow
 potatoes as it is for other crops. Liu
 eraI fertiliZing with commercial
 fertilizer analyzing around 4 per cent.
 of ammonia and to 10 per cent of
 phosphoric acid and used to the ex-
 tent of from 1900 to eooo pounds per
 acre will be satisfactory
 This fertilizer can be distributed over the fGrrow. before dropping the
 seed. Spread it so as to cover a st-:p
 2 to 2 1-2 feet wide. Do not put a
 handful in the hill and think the
 plant will get the benefit of it. Spread lime extensively if at all Put the
 seed in four to five inches deep in the soil After a few days go over the field with the spike tooth harrow or
 If you do not. your hand labor later will be increased tremendously. Re- peat this every few days, and, as nec- cessary. use the tooth cuftivator and hoe.
 Practice level cultivation except
 where the soil is wet This will help retain the soil moisture so much needed during the season Shallow
 cultivation rather than deep must be practiced later in the season. After
 tine plants are getting, a, good start the flea beetle, a tiny black shell eG insect, will attach, in gret a numbers each hill. Many holes will be found in the leaves very shortly. This in Jury will lessen the vitality and viii present excellent opportunities for blight to enter the plant tissues. Spraying with bordeaux is the onfS remedy that is satisfactory to prevent the ravages Of the beetle and the de- struction Of the blight. This year bordeaux lead is probably the most economical! spraying material thak is available. Seven to eight pounds 70 50 gallons of water. are recommended. This will prevent the blight largely. and since it contains arsenate of lead the poison for the 1eaf-eating insects. 1t will not be necessary to use paris green. The latter washes off easily and is very liable to burn the foliage. This spraying should be repeated ev- cry two weeks throughout the sea-