Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-02

TORI TWO buShelS or potatoes
in the season of 1915 from a
plot of ground only eight feet
square, or an equivalent of more
than $4,000 bushels to the acre of
ground space used, was the astonish-
ing feat of R. E. Hendricks, a resi-
dent of Kansas City, Mo.
Like all great discoveries. Mr.. Hen.
bricks method of raising potatoes is
founded on such simple elemental
principles that one wonders why
some one didn't think of it before"
He had often watched the potato pile
IN the cellar bin. which every spring
sent out its shoots through every
possible crack and crevice. Some
times these sprouts would crawl out
along the floor a distance of seven
feet in order to reach the light. From
this beginning he conceived the idea
that if this pile was removed out into
the open and given soil and ferti-
lizer, with proper conditions of light
and moisture, the potatoes would
grow and reproduce their kind.
Three years ago he built what he
called a potato pen" which was
nothing more nor less than a huge
potato hill, the sides of which were
supported by a losely constructed in
closure, built after the fashion of an
old rail fence. Within this inclosure.
only by feet in s,ze he planted
his potatoes in thin layers of dirt
and manure, piling one layer on an
other until the pen was feet high.
The potato pen" became a mound
OF green. He had found that his
potatoes not only grew better than
they did in the cellar. but that at
digging time he was co1e to harvest
forty bushels OF as fine potatoes as
are grown>anywhere. The following
year ne secured thirty-two bushels
IN the same size pen, md last year
the astonishing total or forty-two
bushels.
The details of the construction and
management of these potato pens F"
as described by Mr.. Hendricks. out
i1ne a. plan by which any one hav-
ing access to plot of ground no
larger than a flower bed can raise all
the potatoes needed for an average
family for a whole year. The potato
pens may be built 8 feet wide bv anv
length, just so they are built strong
enough to keep the sides from
spreading. Most any kind of good
stout material can be used. If light
lumber or boards are used the pen
may be braced through the center
with wire. Rich earth and we'll
rotted manure must be on hand in
sufricient quantities to fill the pen TO
the top.
The potato pen. as described. is
Duiit feet by 8 feet. inside meas
urement, and is feet high.
The pen is built as each layer is
placed and planted. You can use
one by six-inch boards for the
ends and sides. leaving a 21h inch
space between the boards for the
potato sprouts to come through. Start
the pen with six-inc0 layer of dirt.
Then mark off the plot a foot apart
each way. allowing six inches of
space for dirt all around between the
outer row Of potatoes and the inside
or the pen. Plant potato seed at
every cross line or intersection OF
the plot, forty eight hills to the layer
oA niiI lHSn put an lncn or TWO OF
well-rotted manure over the potatoes
and sprinkle we'll with --ater. Then
lay six inches more of dirt mark off
as before, plant manure and water
again. Repeat this operation with
enough layers to fiji sne pen to the
top. To keep the dirt from falling
out of the pen as the layers are
placed. draw up old straw or hay
against the cracks or crevices.
AS the pen rises .,face on the
fourth layer of dirt IN the center of
one side, about two rect above the
ground. a moist tes.er." This is
made of any piece of timber about
the size of the arm, a piece of four
bv four inches by three feet long.
placed so it will protrude from the
pen about foot. After the potatoes
have been planted three weeks
loosen the tester. pull out and run
your hand in to determine the mois-
ture. 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