The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-05-04
SUGGESTIONS TO
THE POTATO GROWER
CBy Gordon G. Brown

potato planting will be in order, espe-
clally in the Lower Valley. In the
Upper Valley, of course, the time will
he relatively later. 1t appears to the
writer than an unusually good oppor-
tunity presents itself for the develop
ment of potato industry in large pro-
portions, especially in the Upper Val
ley. The potato industry in that Sec
tion has been growing for number of
years because it is readily apparent
that the soil and climate are especially
adapted for this crop.
During recent years new field has
opened up to the grower which may be
taken advantage of. There is big
demand for th2 use of certified seed.
The trade has been willing to pay a
premium for potatoes which have been
government inspected and passed the
tests applying to trueness to type and
freedom. from pest and disease. Last
year a great many Oregon potato
growers made application to the crop
specialist at Corvallis to have their po-
tato patches certified in order that
they might be able to sell their seed at
an advanced price. The customary
practice is to inspect the field when it
is in bloom and subsequently during
the growing season as well as at dig
ging time. The inspector as a rule
sets very high standard of perfection
and the one who is fortunate enough to
have his field pass inspection is the
exceptional one. Last year only
very small percentage of those who
made application had patches of suffi-
cient quality to pass inspection. This
was especially so with reference to
Early Rose. This was due to the pres
ence of various diseases, insect pests,
functional troubles and lack of true
type. The presence of Black Leg,
Dwarf Mosaic, are troubles which to
great extent contributed to the grow
ers' failure to pass inspection. Owing
to the fact that most of the growers
have had little or no experience in the
growing of certified seed, is also one
reason why only comparatively small
success has been obtained by the grow
ers in general.
The writer feels that the growing of
certified seed, especially in the Upper
Valley. is an industry certainly worth
developing upon large scale. The
rewards for successful effort are much
greater than that which applies to or
dinary potato growing. The high alti-
tude, soil and comparatively short and
cool growing season are factors favor
ing seed production. 1t is a well es-
tablished fact that seed grown under
such conditions is more viable. especi-
allywhen taken to locations further
south. A long. hot and dry growing
season is more favorable for the grow
ing of seed with high germinability.
The writer hopes to secure some crop
specialist from Corvallis in the near
future who will give advice covering
the production of potatoes for seed
purposes.
During the past two years the writer
has done some experimental work |
bearing upon the soil fertility problem
as related to the growing of potatoes
on the red shot soils of the Upper Val |
ley. The one big point which shall
emphasize is the desirability, in fact |
the almost commercial necessity of |
building up the soil before planting. |
AS a rule, the growing of potatoes up
on new land on which clover or alfalfa
has not been grown. has not proved |
principally because yields
have been too small. To certain ex-
tent the grower can substitute COM
mercial fertilizer but as a rule results
are not nearly as satisfactory as where /
clover or alfalfa has been turned un-
der. The writer recalls making obser-
vations upon this point last summer.
In one patch the grower had used fer
tilizer at the rate of over 1000 pounds
per acre. This in addition to the turn
ing under of heavy crop of clover.
The use Of fertilizer under these con-
jitions gave an increase of practically |
80 sacks to the acre. In direct contrast
10 the results in this field, the owner
used a similar amount of fertilizer in
another field on which no green crop
was turned under. In this case the in
crease in yields over the unfertilized
block was scarcely sufficient to pay for
the fertilizer. The lesson that we
draw from this is that green crops as
a preliminary step, is highly important
and that the better the ground IS pre-
pared in this manner, the greater will
be the net returns on the commercial
fertilizer.
In 1920 the writer used nitrate of
soda at the rate Of 3l3 pounds to the
acre: superphosphate at the rate of
!, ia pounds and sulphate of potash at
he rate Of 26l pounds. Where all of
.hese fertilizers were used at this rate,
argest yields were secured. The in
'rease, however. was very little over
hat which we secured from the block
which had nitrate of soda and super
but no potash. In the lat
.er case the yield was 1852 bushels of
yood potatoes per acre, culls elm
mated, as against $40 bushels for the
complete fertilizer
Last year in a practical test, nitro
gen, phosphoric acid and potash were
combined in the following proportions
lpon a percentage basis: 4-8-3; 4-8-4;
,-S-5; 6-S-3 and 6-6-3. Highest yields
we're secured from the block in which
nitrogen was used in combination with
acid at the ratio of approx
mately l-2. One OF the blocks from
which highest yields were secured had
/ total application of 500 pounds of
litrate Of soda 10 the acre and ], 900
POUNDS Of superphosphate. The latter,
ogetber with 800 pounds of nitrate.
we're drilled in at seeding time and the
balance Of the nitrate Of soda broad
,asted and narrowed in before the
,lants were up. This fertilizer gave
50 sacks 10 the acre as against l75
acks for the unfertilized check. Even
With the low price of potatoes obtain
ng this year, it is evident that heavy