Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-03-05
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
BN DR.. ANDREW NJ SOULE

sonalIy, we plant only one piece in
hill, though some prefer to use two.
Our idea is to put the pieces IL to
"a inches apart in the drill. Pota-
toes cut fresh and Immediately plant
ed have given us the best results.
Some like to use a little gypsum on
the freshly cut potatoes to keep them
from bleeding. There is no objection
to this practice, but we have not re-
garded it as essential to success.
Closer planting than that indicated is
not desirable. The potatoes should
be covered to a depth of or 8 inches.
The planting should be done in south
Georgia in late January or early Fer
ruary. In north Georgia it is desir-
able to have the potatoes in the
ground by the 18th Of February. This
is not always practicable, but it can
frequently be accomplished by plan
ming the work we'll in advance. l
have rarely failed to be able to plant
at this date by breaking my ground
in the fall and laying it off in the
early winter. Planting may be DONE.
of course, as late as the 10Th OF
March, but with more or less inditfer-
ent results, depending on seasonal
conditions. I would hardly under
take to grow this crop for home
purposes if planting were delayed be-
yond March to Is, and do not be-
lieve 1 would try to raise it on a
commercial basis unless 1 could plant
in February.
In covering the potatoes a pillow
may may be used, leaving heaped-
up ridge over the top, or where the
drill will later stand. When the
potatoes begin. to sprout upward this
ridge should be knocked off with
harrow, or a hoe in the home gar
den. Light and frequent shallow
cultivation is then to be followed.
Keep a dust mulch over the ground
all the time. The drier the season
the more frequent the cultivation
should be. Side applications of fer
tilizer are not necessary from my
point of view.
Fight the bugs by watching for
their first appearance. Hand-pick-
ing is then the order. A pair of old
bugs destroyed when they first make
their appearance will prevent the
development of literally thousands
of bugs later on in the season. 1t
is not very difficult matter to go
over the patch rather rapidly and
pick off these old bugs and destroy
them in a bottle of kerosene or in
such other manner as may be most
convenient. The eggs laid on the
back of the leaves should be picked
Of also. The use of Paris green as
a spray will prevent the develop
ment Of the bugs when they become
more numerous. Spraying Enould
be done frequently enough to hold
them in check. A wet solution may
be used for this purpose, or a dry
solution. Fifteer pounds of slack
lime into which has been thoroughly
mixed a pound of Paris green is a
very effective dust spray. L prefer
this to the wet solution. 1t should
be put On when the leaves are moist
with dew, either late in the evening
or early in the morning. If effec-
lively applied the potato bugs can
most certainly be held easily ir,
check.
There is no reason why the aver
age family in Georgia should not
have Irish potatoes, ready for use
from the first of April to. the first
of May. The spring crop, if allowed
to mature in the ground and then
properly harvested and stored, will
supply the family with all of this
crop needed until sweet potatoes are
developed in late August or early
September. In fact, 1 have kept
Irish potatoes throughout the sum-
mer and used them with entire sat
1sfact1on up to January 1. In other
words, they were stored successful
ly under our climatic conditions for
period of six months. The storage
space was under my own house 20
the cost was nothing at all. All that
was necessary to do was to keep the
potatoes in thin layers and break
off the sprouts when, they started
to develop in August or September.
There is no more desirable or vaIu-
able crop for us to cultivate on the
average farm. Every home should
be well supplied with an abundance
OF this desirable foodstuff. Make
your plans to have small or large
patch in proportion to the needs and
requirements of your family. Re-
member that by taking forethought
you can insure yourself against loss
ard failure with this crop. EARLY
planting is the secret of success in
producing a large and profitable crop
OF Irish potatoes.