The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1918-02-23
PLANT IRISH POTATOES
EARLY IN SEASON
A SANDY. WELL DRAINED, MOIST
URE RETENTiVg SOIL IL
BEST FOR POTATOES.
TREAT FOR SCAB DISEASE
All s..d should Be Treated For Scat
Whether the Disease 10 Wis
ibIe Or Not.

II the season IL favorable and the
price of seed is not too high, 1t Is IKE
Iy that the acreage of Irish potatoes
| will be substantially Increased the
coming year In view Of the high cost
of seed, fertilizer, and labor. II VIII
be well for the potato grower TO pun
forth extra effort to produce GOOD
| crop 40 "a to realize reasonable re
| turn on his efforts as well as supply
the country with much needed toou
The potato makes a very acceptable
substitute for wheat Most everybody
likes II. Grow and eat more potatoes
and save the wheat
TO make satisfactory crop OF lrish
potatoes In this section IL Is necessary
to plant the seed early in the season
80 az to harvest the crop before ho'
| Weather comes. The higher prices
usually received for the very early po
tetoes encourage early planting OF
early varieties. Special risks are OF
ten taken TO reach the early market.
When To Plant.
Owing to the irregularity OF the sea
son and the variations in soil types In
Louisiana, no definite dates for plant
ing can be given Beginners should
consult their farm demonstration
agent and experienced growers In
their vicinity. Late January or early
February (this latitude, Baton Rouge)
for early varieties would be about an
average time, giving Triumph pota-
toes. say, for late April and early May
harvesting Northward and southwark
In the state planting would be MADE
later and earlier, as the case may be.
under normal conditions.
Varieties.
The Red Triumph is the variety
most popular for early planting. IL Is
a round, red potato that Is very early
and meets the market demands. As
must be expected. the Triumph Is a
low yielder 1t frequently sells Tor
premium in competition with white
varieties.
Another variety rapidly growing In
popularity Is the Irish Cobbler. This
Is an early white potato.
A late white potato known as the
White Star Ia frequently planted In
the southern portion of the state. The
burbank and Peerless are also grown
for late harvest.
Source OF Seed.
Quantities of Triumph seed come
from the Red River valley in Minneso-
ia. Much Mainegrown stock finds Its
way into Southern seed channels.
Growers must be cautious about pur-
chasing their seed stock. See that the
tubers are free from diseases. This
caution applies especially to the
Maine grown stock.
HOMEGROWN seed from the fall har-
vest liz also used As rule II Is quite
free of scab and other diseases. and
very desirable. The crop from this
seed Is usually little later than from
Northern grown seed, but the yield Is
. frequently greater
quantity OF Seeo.
Fertility Of soil and other conditions
have direct bearing on the size oil
the seed piece to plant. A plant In
poor soil will need much more nour-
ishment from the mother seedpiece
than one starting in rich soil where
plant food IL abundant Eight, ten,
and twelve bushels of seed per acre
are commonly used under average
conditions when paintings are made
on 3 IL or foot ridges, and the seed
pieces are dropped about IL inches
apart. Sugar planters frequently plant
on 8 IL to foot ridges and put corn
in the furrow before the potatoes are
J harvested.
Treat With Formaldehyde.
i Potato scab is usually found on seed
potato stock Our plant disease spe-
eialist advises the treatment of seed
!, potatoes with formaldehyde whether
] any scab Is visible or not, as a small
!. amount OF the disease Is liable to be
overlooked. Therefore, soak the seed
potatoes for two hours in solution
made by mixing one pint of CONNER.
= oial formalydehyde with thirty gallons
OF water Growers should not neglect
| this. For particulars send for Exten-
] sion Circular No, on potato scab.
Fertilizers.
Early Irish potatoes require sandy,
well drained and moisture-retentive
!, soil. They should not be planted on
cold, poorly drained, heavy land.
1t IL difficult to state what fertiliz.
J, er should be used for potatoes as con-
ditions are SO variable. Each grower
should work out his own fertilizer
problems. AS very general guide II
!. might be said that cotton seed meal
and high grade acid phosphate t16 per
= cent available phosphoric aeid) in va.
2 rying proportions and quantities per
acre would, In most instances, meet
the general requirements of the crop.
Fertilizer Is very high at present,
:. but in purchasing 1t one should
;, remember that the values OF
crops have also Increased, in many
! Instances, in greater proportion than
0vs-l