The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-03-16
By FALCON DAVENPORT
Vocational Agricultural Student
Mills River High School

Mills NiVer IlISn SShOoA
Selection of soil. PREP,
aration of soil. 3-Using certi-
fled seed. 4-Treating soil. B.
Planting. 6-Plant food supply,
Good tillage. 9-Spraying,
9-Harvesting and marketing,
10-Keeping records
1.-Selection of soil: Irish po-
tatoes are probably as easily
satisfied in its soil requirements
as any other food plant, it thriVes
better on some soils than others
Sandy loan Or gravelly soils are
considered especially well suited
to the production of large crops
provided they are well drained
and well supplied with plant
food. -
The ideal soil is one that does
not run together in heavy rains
that works easily, that is well
supplied with humus, and that
while we'll drained, is naturally
supplied with sufficient moisture
to keep the plants in thrifty
growing condition.
Glover or soy beans are gen,
orally regarded as the best
preparatory crop for potato land
The economic production of ar
acre of potatoes is dependent tC
certain extent upon its shape,
2.-Preparation of soil: Tbs
land should be plowed as deeply
as the surface soil will permit
If the surface soil is 10 inches
deep pillow to that depth or a lit
tie more, if six inches deep pillow
to 1-2 Or 7 inches. The sol
should be plowed one-half TO one
inch deeper than formerly in or,
der to increase the depth grad
dually and thereby increase the
water holding capacity of the
soil.
Land intended for potatoes
should be plowedr in the fall
However, if the land is likely tc
wash badly it should not be plow,
ed until early spring. If plowed
in the fall it should be disked on
narrowed as early in the spring
as possible in order to conserve
the moisture that accumulated
during the winter and to prevent
weed growth.
In preparing the seed bed use
a cutaway or disk harrow follow
ed with a smoothing harrow in
order to get a good pulverized
and fine texture soil If the
crop is planted on land that is
poorly prepared it is difficult to
cultivate.
3.-Using certified seed: BY
using certified seed you get 4
much larger yield than you do
With uncertified seed. The certi-
fled seed are freer from disease
and are also more even in size.
4.-Treating seed: 1t is pos
sible to produce high-grade seed
potatoes if the seed planted is
treated. The treatment of seed
potatoes is therefore necessary
if the best results are wanted:
The two diseases for which 20,
tatoes are ordinarily treated arc
common scab and rhizoctonia
The formulas recommended fol
these diseases are as follows:1-
Formain l pint, water 80 gal,
Ions. 2.-Corrossive sublinlate
A ounces, water 80 gallons. g.
Semosan.
| 5.-Plant food supply: A raax,
limum crop can be produced only
when the soil in which they arr
grown is we'll supplied with avail
able plant food If a good clover
lalfalfa, cowpea, soybean, or 9th
er legumeinous crop has beer
turned under much smaller APP
plication of commercial fertilizel
or farmyard manure will b.
necessary than if preceding
crop was a grain crop. For tn
early crop of the south use a toI
or more of a 7-5-5 or 1855 fer
tilizer should be applied to al
acre. It is usually preferable t.
apply the manure to fall plowet
land in the late winter or sprinj
and dish it in, or to, spring pillow
ed land before planting.
| Commercial fertilizers are gen
orally applied in the drill ROY
and we'll worked into the soil be
fore dropping the seed.
i 6.-Pianting: The depth a
which the seed pieces should b
planted is directly dependent uT