Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-08-04
POLK GROWERS
MAKE SUCCESS
RAISING SPUDS
.

IE u0AkH0 va Wv
Dallas, Or, Aug. 4.-When one
hears the name of Wilson in PoIh
county farm circles he thinks OF
spuds, for the Harley Wilson fam
lily on Sheridan, route /, doubt
less are the leading growers of
qualify potatoes in the county.
"The Family" is used adyisedly.
for every member, including Mrs.
Wilson and the six children, three
boys and three girls, is potato
"fan," seemingly incurable with
respect to their faith in potatoes
that is, in good potatoes.
No finer example of what Is
bound to follow study, care, de-
termination and good, old-rash-
ioned work-by work is meant
hard work, is to be found than the
results secured W this family.
They have been growing spuds on
a commercial scale for years
made some money occasionally
lost money often and seemingly
sheerfully. They suffered all the
grief attendant upon the business.
whole grist Of diseases carried
by seed and soil, soils out of condi-
tion, lack of moisture, and most
of all market that each year wat
enough of a gamble to fascinate
the most confirmed card sharp.
Improving Quality.
1t was found tnat growing JUS
potatoes had few possibilities
The odds in the game were to-
great. They decided that 1t wa
necessary to get more than the
average Oregon yield of 80 bush
els to the acre and that the quail
ity must be improved. There l.
nothing simple or easy about I'm
proving on the lowly potato, bu,
the Wilson's are doing it-haye
done it. 1t has meant complete
turnover in their farm practice,
including rigid rotation OF crops
extreme care in selecting seed
stocks, taking no one word foi
anything, seed treatment for Ger
tain diseases, cultivation, pulling
out diseased and poor type plants,
even going out and renting land
to get soil free from potato dis
eases. They know what they are
about. When a field is pointed
out as earliest of all one may
bank on the fact that every hill il
OF that variety and that only the
choicest stock went into the
ground for seed. Other well
known market varieties are being
grown Just as carefully, including
Burbank and Melted Gem.
Last season the Wilson Burbank
was the only field in Polk county,
and one of the very few In the
Willamette valley. to meet the re-
Quirements of the Oregon Agricul-
tural college for certification. The
standards in this work are high
and most fields contain too much
disease and varietal mixture TO
meet the requirements and pass.
Potatoes Saved the Day.
II will be recalled that the po-
tato market all last fall and win
ter dragged badly. The crop was
hard to move and the prices un-
satisfactory. The whole indus
try was flat on Its pack, THE po-
tatoes pulled us through a hard
year" Mr.. Wilson said when the
fields were given the first inspec-
tion for certification last week.
He had the goods. The certified
Burbanks moved out at "a a hun
dred when common table stock
went begging at half that figure.
seventy-two untitled orders for
seed are on file with the Wilson's.
The whole crop went In 10 days to
individual huyers--all for cash
too.
The potato exhibits entered by
this family featured the Polk
county fair, the state fair. the
crops section of the Pacific Inter
nctional and the Northwest Pota
to show at Spokane, Washington.
reaching into high money wher-
ever awards were made.
The three Wilson boys, Alfred.
George and Woodrow. aged ~, II
and 3. respectively. are leading
members in potato and garden club
work in Polk county. Georges
club work sent him to the Oregon
Agricultural college for short
course last year, his brother, AL
fred, missing the honor by just
one point. These boys are work
ers--and they work with ven
geance. To see them hoeing OF
pulling "off type" or diseased
plants from the fields is a study
In application. Each boy can
identify the half dozen serious
diseases that affect potatoes in
this region, can tell all about its
damage and how 1t may be con
trolled They have tha under
standing.
Just as there Is said always TO-
be room at the top, Wilson's spud