The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-10-28
What Varieties


There is perhaps no one thing that
is of more detriment to the potato IN
dustry of the Northwest than the fact
that here are so many varleles oelng
grown. The result is that it is al.
most impossible to buy carloads OF
potatoes on a general market, which
are not badly mixed. This is a ques-
ton which should be carefully con-
sidered. Neighborhoods, at least,
should get together and form asso-
Citations and grow only such potatoes
as are agreed upon, so that they may
be handled in large quantities and
kept pure. There is a great deal more
to be accomplished in the way OF in
creased yields by proper preparation
of the soil, cultivation and seed selec-
ton than by trying to secure new
varieties.
Good Seed Essential.
Whatever variety of seed is to be
planned, it is essential that this seed
be properly saved from year to year.
The potato industry Of this region
will never attain the highest results
until every farmer gives more atten-
ton to this particular subject. There
will come a time, as there has in n
growing of corn and other crops, when
no one will think of planting seed that
has not been grown and cared for es-
pecially for this purpose.
Seed Should Be Kept from Sprouting
One of the essentials in preserving
seed potatoes is that they be kept at
a sufficiently low temperature so they
will not sprout. When potatoes sprout,
and the sprouts are broken off be-
fore planting, they will not yield as
much as unsprouted potatoes, by 500
or more. The reason for this is that
a great deal of the food material in
the potato is used by the first sprout,
and when this is broken off there will
usually be several weak sprouts start
ing from around where the one was
broken off, with the result that very
weak plants will be produced. Seed
potatoes should be young potatoes
grown for seed purposes. An eating
potato should be an old potato, fully
matured and ripened in the soil, but
for seed they should be only just ma
tured.
The Size of Seed to Plant
The question Of planting large pc
tatoes, or small potatoes, or whethe,
to plant whole potatoes or cut them
has received a great deal of consider
alton by the various experiment sta
lions, and also by careful growers
There is yet considerable difference o
opinion in regard to these matters.
is, however, quite definitely settle
with most growers that medium size
potatoes, cut so that the pieces weig
about two ounces, gives the best re
suits. Little attention need be pal
to the eyes; hand cutting is most sat
i~sfactory. In the drier sections, tn
planting of whole potatoes will ofte
give higher yields.
Anyone wishing information on thi
may find it in the bulletins of tn
various experiment stations.
The production per hill depend
more on whether the potato plante
was from a plant which produced
large number of good potatoes, tina
on the size of the seed planted. TIL
is a great argument in favor of hi
selection of seed. Small potatot
from a big hill would be more desi
able for seed than a big potato fro
a small hill.
Plant Plenty of Seed
It has been found that up to a rea
enable limit, the yield of potatoes d
ponds on the quantity of seed plante
other conditions being the same. The
might be some difference in this,
the ground were given special ferti
zation, with the expectation OF pre-
ducing unusual yields.
However, for ordinary field produ
ton, it is quite generally accept
that planting the rows 80 to 36 inch
apart, and the potatoes 10 to Is inch
apart in the row, will give the be
results. The thickness of planti1
would be determined to some exte
by the variety. The Early Ohio,
instance, grows a small vine, a
would stand closer planting than sol
of the other varieties, which gr'
much larger vines. Planting in dr.