The diamond drill., 1919-04-19
POTATO WORK IN IRON COUNTY.
Report From County Agent Long for
Potato Work for 1919.


in Iron county, the potato is one OF
the most important inasmuch as 1t Is
the principal cash crop for the farm
er. AS In the case of all other lines
or agricultural work, we are trying
10 find out how TO grow potatoes bet
ter and what are the best varieties
TO grow. The Sir Walter Raleigh has
been tried in Iron county and the
Upper Peninsula and has been found
wanting in a good many ways altho
It is a good potato.
Maine, which has about the same |
latitude as the Upper Peninsula, has
standardized in general on the Green
Mountain and this variety has com
manded the highest price on the New
York market, where these potatoes
are marketed, for several years. This
variety has also been tried in the
Upper Peninsula and found to give
very good results, 1t natures liti
tie earlier than the Sir Walter Raj
eigh, does not grow hollow, has bet
ter eating quality and yields better.
I II was decided to try out this var
! iety OF potatoes in Iron county thls
coming season and by actual demon
, stratlons see now they proved out
| tpndar our conditions. A particularly
ana strain OF these potatoes was 10
4 Gated in Baraga county, and hity-si'
e farmers have agreed to try these po
2 ..toes along with their regular varie
! lty In a variety test. These tests
n scattered ali over the county in al
: ao,ts ~ soil and under the differen
9 | conattions which exist in dineren
g narts ~ the county should indicat
J. very weSp what the advantages OF Oils
G advantages Of this variety are
i In addition 70 the variety tests
(. tbe potato program OF the Farm b'
d reau. there will be demonstrations
If soa6 selectiorf, some OF them shown
& ,he advantage of hill selection
9 ,icl,ing seed for the following year
= nrantIng from the best nils III u
n so,a instead OF taking them fro
tho hin: and also by the tuber vi
IL method. In this method the piec
I'd lof each potato are planted one at
t. the other in the row and the pest .
resulting are chosen for the seed p
as Tho following year. This seed sel'
Of ton work Is the same as the ore'
iss ,ng work with livestock. We
to know the advantages of pure-p'
re- livestock.
,de The same advantages hold W
It's pure bred crops
n OF Then there will be demonstrate
has sbow,ng the advantages OF 81
FIRST snrouting potatoes before they
past nlanted BY this process OF let
the light get to the potatoes spi
Up OF rnon floor, short, stuDby spr'
lock viii form and the potatoes mus
mold oricl,er start, mature earlier
rned how an increase in yield IN
casos The potatoes should be
pen eposed to the light for two week
week more before planting.
All those who plant potatoes 81
'iU ,reat their seed with either form
hvde or corrosive sublima'e u
L n,a,ting. These drugs can DC
aimed At the drug stores or nara
and directions for using Will be
Furnished by the county agent
seed treatment has proven very
HE in cutting down the per 9
|, from scab. black scurf and
n,
le &. rood many farmers are IT.
A ,rcalze fertilizers on
ca nm, ls wear and good dea
: cr o,s - pplied to potato fields
WHY ~ in connection with !
phaA phate, ior po'"'oe5 W.
d Wv o. uy and yield. W
ing the quAl ro"lhs s'0
SHORT potato the ''VP o.
sir,tble to have pie
san,,,i... = poa and pota
!, -, ,od for pr
-. 20 - tferent
- ~ and
this
kept OF the results. In -
will know what do in
Throughout M OF the pc
ect work which thee Farm Blu
carry on the raain. ideas are /.
Z !. Find the variety or va
best suited to rron county for conn