Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-02-28

of late summer or early autumn.
The crop can then be stored and
kept and shipred~ out as needed.
In the mountainous sections, they
have the advantage Of being able to
mature q crop in say July and Au-
gust which can be shipped south
before northern potatoes sbegin to
move. During the summer months,
the gulf coast area in Florida for
instance, will be bare of Irish pota-
toes. The production Of a strictly
commercial crop of 5000, 900 bushels
a year in Georgia can easily be made
therefore into a profitable enter
prise.
Here is another one Of those spe-
cialized crops that is not difficult
to raise, that the boil weevil cannot
destroy, that will add several million
dollars a year to our Golfers and
which we can certainly grow and
distribute to advantage. I: have al
ways felt that the Irish potato was
crop Of great undeveIoped poten-
tlalities in Georgia. A neglected
sort of gold mine, and so I am writ
ing this article in the hope of arous-
Ing greater attention and interest
in its cultivation. OF course, there
are many who will rise up and say
that they have tried it, and it has
been a failure. The first efforts to
send a wireless message would not
nave been accounted a success. The
f1rst efforts to develop electricity
IN a disable way failed, and so it
goes through all the great category
OF human effort. The fact that
lot Of people have stupidity mis-
managed their business and reaped
misfortune where rewards should
have been won has no significance
TO me. L have observed what a few
people have done with the Irish
potato crop, and I know from ex-
perience some other things which
can be accomplished. The fact that
L was raised n a farm where this
crop was intensively cultivated on
a commercial basis for many years
has also given me an insight into it's
utilization that I think justifies me
in outlining the situation set forth
above in an endeavor to emphasize
the value and Importance which, this
crop may be made to our people
when nationally managed.
In this connection, let me say that
more failures to produce a satisfac-
tory crop Of Irish potatoes have
arisen from planting at the wrong
season than from all other causes
put together 1 know this to be
an absolute fact. In our relatively
warm, southern climate, our people
have been accustomed to think that
crops will only grow satisfactorily
and develop property in hot wealth
er. It's habitat extends from the tip
Of Florida to the frigid regions of
the north. 1t is grown so near to
the Arctic circle that 1t is planted
and developed on land which has
merely thaWed out on top, but which
is frozen solid at a point beginning
eighteen inches to three feet be.
low the surface of the ground. The
Irish potato is a cool-climate crop,
and our successful cultivation Of it
in this section of ~:le United States
rests primarily on our planting it
at that season Of the year which VIII
enable it to develop and mature
when the ground is relatively cool.
The climatic conditions Of the win
ter in some parts OK Georgia are
about equal to those Of the sum-
mer season In far northern latti-
tudes.
that the Irish potato must be plant.
ed about thirty to fifty days ear.
ller than the average farmer thinks
will have taken the greatest step
forward in regard to the successful
cultivation of this crop.
How should we proceed under the
conditions outlineu to plant and
handle this crop in order to reap
the best returns therefrom? In
many sections Of our state, certain
ly in all the territory Of the Pied
mont and coastal plains region,
most of the land intended for Irish
potatoes should be prepared in the
fall. If the ground is broken and
properly fined, and the burrows laid
off in December, then planting may
bea Ccomplished late in that month
in the southern part Of Georgia, or
during January and February in
the Piedmont plain. When this is
not done and a wet season comes,
the ground cannon be prepared or
planted very often until it is too
late. So, we frequently find people
planting Irish potatoes in the
Piedmont section up even until the
first OF April when they should
have been put into the ground not
later than the middle of February.
The same undesirable variation in
dates OF planting may be witnessed
in all sections of the southern conu-
tries. But planting Irish potatoes
sets in the soil when it is cold and
frosts are occurring, maybe every
two or three days, IS not in the least
Objectionable.
Irish potatoes should, as a rule,
be planted in three-foot rows. Cut
the seed, leaving two eyes to the
piece. Drop these pieces eighteen
inches apart in the drill and cover
to a depth of six or eight inches
When the potatoes begin to sprout
knock off the tops Of the rows with
a plank or any other convenient inn
PIGMENT.
This crop should be literally fer
tilted. The minimum application
on most of our soils should be 800
pounds Of a 1915 on sandy lands
and a 1854 on our clay soils.
Where large crops are desired, 1000
pounds of this mixture will not be
too much to use. Two.thirds or three
fourths Of it may be put under the
drill row. II is important to mix
the manure with the subsoil by
means Of a bull tongue The part
reserved may be used as a side ap.
plication distributed along side the
drill row during the early stages of
the growth of the crop. One or two
side applications may be made. The
second may consist of 100 pounds of
nitrate of soda. The use of this ele.
ment will prove most profitable on
the sandy lands Of the coastal plains
area.
When the potatoes are out of the
ground, they should be cultivated
lightly and frequently. Keep a dust
mulsion in evidence at all times.
Fight the bugs from the very be-
ginning. You may use Paris Green