Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-05-13
The Depth Of Planting Potatoes.

Ridge culture of the potato is uni
versally practiced In Aroostook County
A few use rather low broad ridge but
probably 90 per cent of the farmers prac-
tice what might be called extreme ridge
culture. The ridging begins at tho time
of planting. The planter most used has
a plow 90 constructed that 1t makes little
more than mark on the soil unless 1t
is very light, instead of furrow, the
disks at the rear of the machine cover
the seed by throwing up ridge perhaps
four inches high so that the seed at the
very start is practically on a level with
the surface between the rows. A few
farmers make q practice Of going over
the field with q weeder and somewhat
fsttening the ridge but the number that
do this 10 comparatively few. The
method most usually followed is to 60
between the rows with the cultivator
perhaps 8 or 10 days after the potatoes
are planted and then ss soon as they be-
gin to break the ground 60 over with
the horseshoe and bury them up also
burying the weeds at the same time and
thereby raising the height of the ridge.
This kind of cultivation Is continued
until the tops are too large to pass
through without injury. By this time
an A shaped ridge has been formed
about IL to IL inches high, and, OF
course, the surface between the rows has
been dropped by the continual scraping
up of the soil SO that the tubers growing
In the ridge are considerably above the
surface between the rows.
In the years, 1907, 1908 and 1909 the
Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
compared these two methods OF culture
on Mr.. John Watson's farm In Houlton.
The Yields with the broad low ridge
we're 1888, 3O1 and 218 bushels per scre
with an average Of 2S3 bushels for the
three years. With the high narrow
ridge the yields were slightly less each
year being at the rate OF 1926, 291 and 2O4
bushels with an average yield OF 273
bushels per acre. The differences while
constant are within experimental error.
1t seemed probable that the less rain
fall and not infrequent drouths ex.
perienced In tho moro southern parts Of
the state might prove unfavorable to
growing potatoes with the shallow plant
ing, high ridge method OF cultivation.
With the purchase Of Highmoor Farm
the Station began IN experiment com.
pairing shallow planting with high ridge
cultivation, somewhat deeper planting
with q lower, broader ridge, and deep
planting with a. level cultivation ss
practicable.
The shallow planted potatoes st High.
moor Farm were planted % deeply q
incbes) as the broad low ridge ones at
Houlton. The medium planted we're at
depth Of IL inches and the deep
planted were inches below the level.
The time required for planting was
the same on oil of the plots. The plant
ing, spraying and harvesting were the
same for all OF the plots with the excep-
ton that on the deep planted 1t was
necessary to use four horses on the dig
ger. The deep planted required less
hours of cultivation; the medium planted
the most. A man and team for cultiva.
ton we're on the deep plots 26 hours, on
the medium 80 hours and on the shallow
35 hours per acre.
There was not much difference In the
difficulties of digging between the shall
| low planted and the medium planted.
The deep planted required four horses
instead OF two on the digger, and q good
deal OF care was necessary to be sure
that the digger was sufficiently deep in
the ground to prevent outing the tubers.
The Green Mountains averaged S6O
bushels per acre for the deep planted,
1856 for the medium planted and 1926
bushels per acre for the shallow planted
high ridge. Irish Cobbler has never
Welded we'll at Highmoor Farm. The
yields averaged 163 for the deep planted,
l68 for the medium planted and 1Se
bushels per scre for the shallow planted
The deep planted and medium planted
gave approximately the Same yields 81
Highmoor Farm with the advantage ir
favor Of the medium planted. The me.
dium planted and medium ridge gave
considerably better yields ct HighmooI
Farm than the shallow planted and higt
ridge. The medium ridge 10 cultivated
a. oheaply % the shall0w ridge and Il
harvested nearly 40 easily. The deer
planted are cultivated at less cost thar
either of the other two methods but art
far more difficult to harvest.
The results indicate that for Aroos
took County the shallow planted higl
ridge 10 we'll suited to the climatic CON
ditious. And they also clearly indicate
that for the lower counties In the stat
with their lesser rainfall during th'
growing season, the medium planted
with the broad low ridge cultivation II
preferable to either Of the Others
Chas. D. Woods, Director.
Philosophy Of the Oldest Dalryman
i Some folks count their chickens be