The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-08-09

light lumber or boards are used the
lspen may be braced through the center
with wires. Rich earth must be on
hand in sufficient quantities to fill the
pensto the top.
The potato pen is built 6x8 feet, in-
side measurement, and is six feet high.
Inc pen is built as each layer is placed
and planted. YouAcan use 1x6-inc,l
boards for the ends and sides. leaving q
two and one-half space between the
boards for the potato sprouts to conaa
through. Start the pen with a. six
inch layer OF dirt. Then mark off the
plat a foot apart each way, allowing
SIX inches of space for dirt all around
between the outer row Of potatoes and
the inside of the pen. Plant a potato
seed at every cross line or intersection
OF the plat, eight hills to the layer OF
dirt. Then put an inch or two of dress
ing over the potatoes and sprinkle good
with water Then lay six inches more
OF dirt, mark off as before, plant, use
dressing and water again. Repeat this
operation with enough layers to fill
the pen to the top. To keep the dirt
from falling out of the pen as the lay
ers are placed, draw up old straw or
hay against h rack and creyices.
AS the pen rises, place on the fourth
layer of dirt in the center Of one side,
about two feet above the ground, a
moist tester" This is made OF any
piece of timber about the size of the
arm, a. piece of 4x4-inch by 3 feet
long, placed SO it will protrude from
the pen about a foot. After the pota-
toes have been planted three weeks
loosen the tester, pull and run your
m IN to determine the moisture. BY
SO doing you will know how much
water to use on the pen. After the
tester has been once removed this can
be repeated once or twice a week.
Watch the tester and keep the dirt in
proper condition.
Ihe pen should be near a water sup
ply so that it canb be well watered dur
ing dry weather. It should be watered
from the top about twice a week unless
aanfa is sufficient. Thea"moist test
er" viii always enable the grower to
determine the proper moisture. condi-
tons. The top layer Of dirt should be
sloped gently toward the center SO the
ground will absorb and not she'd rain,
but care should be taken that mud be
baking to a crust. When the earth is,
dry the mound should be sprinkled on
the top INC sides.
The potato vines will grow to the
top and sides of the pen (the nearest
way to the light, emerging through
the Crev1ceS and concealing the tim
bers with coat OF green. When the
potatoes are matured the pen may be
taken down, the potatoes rolled out
of the thin covering with a rake, and
the material. dirt and dressing saved
and used again n again.
Potato pens may be started as early
and as late as possible, giving potatoes
30 days to mature, except the early
The usual time of planting pota-
toes in the north is from March to
but under this method the pota-
toes may be planted much later than
is possible under open field conditions,
where the factor Of hot, dry weather
must always be taken into considera.
ton. With irrigation and every pos
siblel condition OF good potato growing
moisture, ventilation and drainage
always under his control, the grower is
practically certain OF his crop.