The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-02-02
FARM INSTITUTE
OPENED MONDAY
Some Valuable Pointers
Given on the Potato
Production

E. R. Bennett, horticultural from
the university extension division,
gave those attending some valuable
pointers on the Determining Fac
tors in Potato Production" In his
opening remarks Mr.. Bennett stated
that he had never urged and was
not going to do so now, farmers to
raise potatoes. The only thing that
he did urge was that when they
started to raise them that they do
it in such a way that they get a big
yield of good quality potatoes.
"A farmer should expect failure
in price about every four years" said
Mr.. Bennett. "This year you were
fortunate, as in the eastern states l
discovered by investigation that
there was a large acreage of pota-
toes, and in the northwest we. were
planting more than in previous years,
and if it hadn't been for heavy rains
in some of the big producing states
of the east there would certainly
have been a price failure this year.
In view of this fact" Mr.. Bennett
continued, 1--WE should do everything
possible to get bigger yield of of
the same acreage as its costs no more
to raise large amount off Of a given
number of acres than it does a small
amount" - ~
According to Mr.. Bennett many
farmers are too economical in plant
ing seed in that they do not cut
their pieces of seed large enough.
Theory and practice have proven
that in order to get more potatoes to
the hill II ia necessary to have more
than one stem to q hill, and In order
to do this there must be q sufficient
amount Of plant food to sustain the
additional stems. ,@.s,.sfz, ,...,... 81 -.
Another important factor in sue
cesstully; raising potatoes, according
to Mr.. Bennett, was irrigation.
Most farmers guess at this. import
ant factor" he said. There is only
one way to get away from the neces-
sity Of guessing and that is by taking
a shovel and going to the field and
digging up a. few hills in various
section and determine exactly the
condition of the SOIL" Potatoes
must not be planted in dry soil, if
they are to mature properly and a
good stand reached"
If the moisture doesn't reach down
four or five inches, Mr.. Bennett ad-
vises irrigation before planting, as
we'll as using care in getting the seed
at the proper depth in the ground.
The proper depth, he said, depends
largely upon the locality, but for
most parts of Idaho two and one
half inches is about right. Then
after the potato is properly planted,
the soil should be watched carefully
to see that sufficient water is used.
In irrigating the best way to tell
when the water has been on long
enough is to dig down a row and
when the moisture from the adjoin-
ing row meets the row in which you
are digging, then it is enough, no
matter if your water has been on
three or thirty-six hours.
At the close of his talk a round
table discussion was held and many
questions were answered concerning
the successful raising of potatoes.
George ]. Cannon, president of the
Potato Growers associa
ton, the last speaker for the morn
ing program, made strong plea for
the raising of a higher grade Of po-
tatoes. eff potatoes are raised right,
shipped right and graded right"
said Mr.. Cannon, there is no reason
why the right price cannot be de-
and received" He quoted
several instances which proved that
potatoes of higher grade for con-
SUMPTION and not for seed could be
sold for a higher price, if they were
properly prepared.