The Huttig news., 1918-03-23
GROW NosE POTATOES.

| GROW NORk POTATOES.
 de J. s. knox, Hortieuiturist, Agri-
 cultural Extension Division, Univer-
 sity of Arkansas.
 No other vegetable is of 50 great importance to the world at the pres ent time as is the Irish potato. That the United States and her allies will need a larger amount of these this those who arc in a position to know. Arkansas can help wonderfully in the production of this extra amount of potatoes If every farmer, whethefsteA. ant or land owner. will plant from one-half to one acre of potatoes thls spring.
 The importance of good seed can not be ovse-sstimated. No matter what the soil may bc, or how ideal tha climate, rainfall or cultivation, vs cannot hope for . maximum yfeid from poor seed. If you have . supply of home srova potatoes frsm Ycur fall crop that are in good condition plant these. All potatoes wheth- CT or not disease can be seen on them should be disinfectd before planting This is done by soaking the potatoes for two hours in | solution made by mixing one pint of 40 per cent formal. dehyde with 30 gallons of water. Tho treatment should be made just before the potatoesq are to be cut for plant. ing.
 The question of fertilisers is one which Is not given enough censiders- tfon by the average grower. In tbe potato section of the United States, especially in the trucking sections along the Atlantic coast, the farmers use from 1000 to 2,000 pounds of com mercial fertilizer per acre. The root system of the potato K relatively small, thue making it neees- sary to have sn abundance of availa- ble plant food f~r it's use. If as high as 500 to 1000 pounds of fertilizer is to bs used per acre, it is considered best to bSoAdcast the greater part of It. reserving 800 to 100 pounds to ap- ply in the drill with the potatoes, being sure to mix this with tho coil before the potatoes are planted. It Is best to use at least medium |, sized potatoes for planting and these should be cut into small pieces. A medium sized potato will usually make from three to four pieces large enough to plant, and if possible each piece should have two eyes or sec tions from which sprouts viii come.
 The small potstoes do not furnish sufficient plant food to Rourish the young plants until they can get hold on the soil; eonseaueHtly weak plants are produced. For the spring plant ing . depth of ahoHt three inche1 is considered susBeient to plant, but tor tho fall crop from four to six inches is not too deep to plant because nt that time it is often the case that we have to get down deeper to got suf- fieient moisture for the potato ts sprout.
 It pays 10 keep the soil clean dur ing the growing period of the potato. It is doubted if eYer q deeper eultivs- lion than two or three inches is nee essary. This should, however, be done al least once every two weeks, or, in case of rains, as soon thereafter as the soil will permit. Along with the cultivation should come the spray ing of the vines to control bugs and blight The spraying seems to keep the leaves in far better condition, and in actual tests where bugs or blight had been seen. the yield of potatoes sprayed was better than those ~un- sprayed.
 The Red Bliss or Bliss Triumph is one of the very best carly variAties for us to grow. Early Ohio and Ifish Cobbier are also sosd. The early, ma turing varieties like the abOvessars considered best for the South because they mature before the excessive heat of summer, and are likely to keep bet ter than the other varieties which ma ture later. Plant q patch of potatoes and help your Uncle Sam to win the war If you will have seed potatoes to sell, write to the Extension Divi- sion. Old State House. Little Rock, Ark, telling us how many bushels you have. what varieties and price per bushel. The marketing man will advertise them for you free of charge md can doubtless find a buyer,