Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-05-12
Grow n, Valuable Food
Every Family Should Grow Their Potatoes an

Exten. Dept, Internatio
a preparation for potatoes, and then
this rotation repeated.
There is very little more labor in
volved. and practically no more seed
required. in growing a crop Of w
or three hundred bushels of potatoes
than there Is in growing less than
100, and this difference in yield will be
largely due to the proper treatment
Of the soil.
Preparation of the Soil.
It is generally considered that 1t is
not good practice to apply fresh
manure to potato land. because of
the fact, that it may stimulate the
growth Of diseases on the tubers.
However, If we'll rotted anu is
available, and not a very heavy appll-
cation made, there doubtless would be
a greater benefit than harm. How
ever, in a proper rotation. h manure
would probably give best results If
applied the year previous to the grass
crop.
For loosening up the soil there is
no crop better han sweet clover. and
, experiments made both in his country
and In Germany. indicate h a pre-
ceding the potato crop with sweet
clover will give better results than
a heavy application of good manure
The reason for this doubtless Is partly
due to the fact that sweet clover
grows deep into the soil. and the large
roots decay rapidly. and cave the soil
in a very loose condition, which favcrs
the growth Of the potatoes. AS n
man expressed 1t, the sweet clover
or alfalfa will drive the land full Of
spikes or manure to a depth of two
to four feet, and when these rot they
are in the best possible condition to
benefit a succeeding crop of potatoes.
Experiments do not seem to show
any great advantage in favor Of either
fall or spring plowed land. providing
the ground is in good condition when
1t is plowed. However, On account of
the soil often being wet in the spring,
fall blowing would doubtless be more
certain to be in shape for planting at
the proper time. Flowing for potatoes
for grain crops While 1t would. not
be advisable to pillow any land more
than an inch or two deeper than 1t
had been previously plowed, the po-
tato land should be plowed from six
to eight inches deep, to give plenty
of room for the formation of the
tubers. 1t should be disked and har-
rowed. and packed, If necessary. to
put it into good shape before plant
ing.
There is perhaps nothing that will
mean more to the success Of the crop
than putting the ground into proper
shape. before the seed Is planted, and
this shape should insure there being
a good supply of vegetable matter,
either from a clover crop, which is
plowed under, or from good barnyard
applied.
What Varieties:
There is perhaps no one thing tina,
Is Of more detriment to the potato in.
dustry of h northwest than the fac
that there are so many varieties be-
ing grown. The result is that 1t /.
almost impossible to buy carloads Of
potatoes on a general market. which
are not badly mixed. This Is a ques
ton which should be carefully consid'
cred. Neighborhoods, at least. should
get together. and form association!
and grow only such potatoes as ar,
= agreed upon, sc that they may b.
handled in large quantities and KEEP
pure. There is a great deal more t,
be accomplished in the way of in
creased Yields by proper preparatio,
~ l-AS cAAs oIlO SCSu SS10S
ton, than by trying to secure nev
varieties.
Good Seed Essential.
Whatever variety Of seed is to b
planted. it is essential that this see,
be properly saved from year to year
The potato industry of this region
4 will eve attain the highest result
y urtil every farmer gives more atten
ton to this particular subject. Their
I will come a time. as there has in tn
! growing Of cor and other crops, whe,
70 one will think of planting see
i that has not been grown and care
/ for especially for this purpose. Thi
I. subject will be discussed more full
s later.
j Seed Should be Kept From Sproutint
i One Of the essentials in preservin
8 seed potatoes is that they be kept 8
a sufficiently low temperature so the
they will not sprout. When potatoe
srrout, and the sprouts are broke
off before planting. they will not yiel
as much as unsprouted potatoes, b
so per cen or more. The reason fc
this is that a great deal of the foo
material in the potato is used by tn
first sprout, and when this is broke
OF there will usually be several wea
sprouts around where the one W
broken off. with the result that vel
weak plants will be produced.
The Size Of Seed to Plant.
The question of planting large ps
= tatoes, or small potatoes. or wheth.
= to plant whole potatoes or cut then
has received a great deal of consit
Grafton by the various experiment st,
tons, and also by careful grower
There is vet considerable different
of opinion in regard to these matter
1t IL. however. quite definitely settle
with mos: growers that medium size
potatoes, cut SO that the pieces weie
about two ounces, gives the best r.
suits. Little attention need to be pa,
to tn. eyes; hand cutting is most ga
isfactory. In the dried sections, II
planting of whole potatoes will ofte
give higher yields.
Anyone wishing information on tn
may find it in the bulletins of Il
various experiment stations.
The production pc: hill apparent
depends more on whether the pota
planted was from a plant which pr
duced a large number of good pot
toes. than on the size Of the Sc,
planted. This IL a great argument
favor Of hill selection of seed. sms
potatoes from a big hill would
more Desirable for seed than a b