The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1920-09-29
UNITED STATES LEADS
IN POTATO CROPS

United States each year to make a
daily meal Of two eight-ounce pota-
toes for every man, woman and child
in the country, according to the latest
available figures.
In other words, over three hundred
million bushels Of potatoes are raised
annually in this country. The six
leading states in order of Importance
to the potato crop are Wisconsin,
New York, Minnesota, Michigan,
Pennsylvania and Maine. In 1918
they produced almost half of the
bushels raised.
Were it not for the modern methods
whic hare now used In potato produc-
ton, it would be impossible to grow
such an enormous crop. With modern
methods, however, potatoes make a
good crop for the general farmer; and
in specialized Sections, the potato is a
highly profitable crop.
Unless the most modern and scien-
tifc methods are used, there is an
enormous overhead expense in potato
production. The largest expense, how
ever, comes from two main. items
first the preparation of the land, and
second, the attention, given to the
growing crop such as spraying and
cultivating. Careful estimates COM
piled by the State Experimental Sta
! tons of New York and Minnesota
show that it costs very little more to
produce large crop per acre than a
small crop.
Select Seed With Care.
To get the largest quantity of pota-
3 toes per acre, care must be exercised in
/ selecting and planting the very best
: seed obtainable. Potato seed should
! copform to a ype; the specifications
! for this type, no matter what size are
Y Y regularity of shape, shallow eyes, skin
of smooth teoxture, clear colored flesh
I and fine texture of flesh One of the
I surest ways of selecting such spe-
4 cialized and uniform type is by buying
. . pure seed from reliable growers only.
: This is not always practical though.
! and if the acreage is large the grower
Y should select his own seed from the
} most uniform and best producing hills
4 Better results and yields will pay for
4 this additional trouble.
\ Potatoes are grown under such a
4 variety of soil conditions that no one
soil type could be called the best. As
= a general rule, early potatoes should
N be planted IL comparatively light
Z sandy loan, while late POTATOES give
bigger yields when planted in heavy
& loan. Heavy clays are not adapted tc
E potatoes. 1t has been found a goo
E practice to have potatoes follow 4
clover crop which has been plowcd u
+ in the fall.
The seed bed should be worke,
& mellow with continual disking ant
E plowing. Potato tubers can not pusf
8 through the soil if it is hard. The
potato seed should be cut from six tt
= hihS-ouiiSc IltDcA ., icS SuIdIly lOtIhcu
Z The pieces should weigh from one tt
two ounces with at least one goot
healthy eye; three eyes would be bet
ter. Twelve to fifteen bushels al
acre should be planted, depending
upon the fertility of the soil. Rows il
rich soil should be thirty-two t,
thirty-six inches apart and the sect
planted eight to fifteen inches apart
The width of the rows and the dis
g tance of the seed must DC gauget
8 according to the soil and the varict,
. Of the potato.
Cultivation should begin when tn
& potatoes are breaking through l.
81 crust. The frs. cultivation should b.
& deep and subsequent cultivation
. shallower as the season progresses
81 Cultivation should be kept up unit
= the covering Of vines renders it i'm
= possible or impracticable. Late pota
I toes should be harvested before frost
3 early potatoes as soon as they are ripe
81 In no part Of potato production doe
8 modern farm machinery play a create
Z part than at digging time. If five acre
Z or more Of potatoes are grown, pc
Z tato digger will pay for itself in on
e season. A good potato digger shoul
. not run too fast. A digger that run
. too fast will inyariab iniurc TN