The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-03-05
1926 POTATO CROP BEING
STUDIED

STUDIED
With unusually high prices for
seed potatoes many growers will not
consider increasing their potato acre
age but will confine their efforts to-
wards increased acre yields through
good seed bed preparation, heavier
fertilization and more adequate pro-
lection of the crop from insects and
diseases.
eff history repeats itself, and
potato prices remain at fairly high
level during the winter, there will be
an abormal interest in potato rising
next spring, writes Professor r. F.
Taber, agricultural economist, in the
recent bi-monthly bulletin OF the
Ohio Experiment Station.
eff the usual happens, they will
be well planted, well fortified, and
we'll cared for The farmers best
policy in the potato business, unless
he he gifted with unusual specula-
tive instinct, is to plant about the
same acreage year after year and
give them good care and attention"
The great interest in potato grow
ing this season is indicated by the
fact that the Soil improvement Com
mittee of the National Fertilizer
Association has found it necessary to
have printed more than fifty-thous-
and copies of 6-page booklet en-
titled "Fertilizing Potatoes" Coun-
ty agents, extension workers and
Others report unusual desire on the
part of farmers to obtain information
of value in helping to secure the
highest possible acre yields.
At the Wisconsin experiment
station, experiments were conducted
to test the effect of different methods
of fertilization application on stand
and yield. The fertilizer was ap-
piled in four ways: Below the seed,
with the seed. above the seed, and
at side of seed. The results OF this
work as reported in research Bulletin
SIS of this station show that The
fertilizer should never be placed
Immediately in contact with or
directly above the seed. 1t should
be placed along both sides of the
seed at about the same level as the
seed and mixed, to some extent, with
the SOIL"
In Arrostook, Maine, the greatest
potato growing county in the United
States, it is common practice to use
from 1900 to 5000 pounds of ferti
lizer per acre. The standard anal
ysis is 5-8-7 with small tonnage OF
4-S-4 on soils relatively higher in
organic matter and nitrogen. 1t is
of interest to note that the average
potato yield for this country is about
225 bushels per acre for the past
10 years. The average yield for the
whole United States for that period
is only slightly over 100 bushels
per acre.
In the December issue of the
Potato News Bulletin" DR.. B. K.
Brown, biochemist of the Bureau of
Plant Industry, U. S. Department
of Agriculture, summarizes the re-
suits Of fertilizer tests. conducted in
six states for three years, 1928, 1924
and 1925. He reports that the
average results for the three sea-
sons show increases due to ferti-
lizer as follows: Maine, 1892 bus;
New York, 97.8 bus; Pennsylvania,
975 bus; New Jersey, 57.5 bus;
Virginia, 70.9 bus, and 5O.3 bus,
(two soil typesl.
while the increases vary con-
eiderably from one section to an
other, it is quite evident that the
fertilizer has exerted prominent
influence in bringing about in
creased YIELD" he concludes.
The champion grower of Ohio,
George B. Stevenson, of Pickaway
county, in 1925 produced 459
bushels of potatoes to the acre. In
addition to formaldehyde treatment
of seed he MANFRED and plowed
under clover sod and then applied
1905 pounds of 1856 fertilizers in
the row at planting time.
O