The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-18
Carolina Potato Farming
Should Improve Position
Recommendations Presented
By State Department
Of Agriculture
GUY A.
General Agriculture Agent
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
COmDanv

Company
The following information prepar-
ed in collaboration by the North
Carolina department of agriculture
and the agriculture extension serv-
ice, Raleigh, N. c., recommends the
following in connection with Irish
potato growing in the state of North
Carolina. These recommendations
will no doubt be Of equal interest to
South Carolina potato growers:
Recommendations to Growers
Our aim should be: No more 20
tato acreage, but more and better
potatoes from present acreage.
The first step in profitable mar.
keting is production of d high quail
ity product. Yield and quality usual
ly go hand in hand. High yield low.
ers unit cost, while good quality
raises selling price.
Plant potatoes only on soils which
are well adapted to this crop.
The best seed is none too good.
Use only certified seed from u de.
pendable source.
In those cases where it is thought
seed treatment is desirable due to
local conditions it is recommended
that the seed be treated, before cut.
ting, from n hour to one and a hal;
hours in mercuric chloride solution
1 to 1000 strength. This solution is
obtained by d%issolving mercuric
chloride at the rate of 1 ounce in
s gallons of water.
Get the maximum from your fer
tilizer dollars. Have soils tested to
determine actual needs. Guesses
seldom bring greatest efficiency and
economy.
By proper placement of fertilizer
in relation to seed pieces, fertilizer
damage can be reduced and the
WELD increased. By using the hand
method Of fertilizer placement the
cost of production can be lowered.
Do not spoil the benefits of good
quality by careless harvesting and
handling.
Potatoes will not stand excessive
heat. Exposure to the sun is disas-
trous Ito the grower and the buyer)
and consumers will not put good
money into rotten potatoes.
Dig potatoes only in the after
noon and evening, not before three
to four o'clock in warm weather.
Expose them to the night air, but
be sure to remove from the field
early in the morning before the sun
can cause any heat damage. Night
air cools off the tubers, dries, and
| sets the skins.
Do not throw or pile into heap
rows. This causes skinning and
bruising.
Do away with field bags. They GO
Eot afford proper protection. Pick
up and haul in field boxes or bas.
kets direct from the furrow to es.
cape further rough handling, result
ing in mechanical injuries.
Do not dig too soon after heavy
soaking rains, which adversely af-
fects both appearance and carry
ing quality, frequently causing fail.
ure to grade U. S. No. l.
Start hauling early in the morn.
ing and complete before the sun
shines hot.
Carefully place on trucks. Do not
throw. Prevent trampling during
loading, hauling and unloading. Re-
member, you are hauling a perish.
able commodity, not stones.
Every surface injury is All open
door for entrance Of decay produc-
ing organisms, which are ever pres
ent. When accompanied by heat and
moisture, these infections start
breaking down structures, and soft
rot develops very rapidly.
Every car showing even a very
small percentage of bacterial soft
rot means a big discount in price on
the entire load. Do everything pos
sible to reduce these unnecessary
losses and save the reputation of
North Carolina potatoes. Both the
growers and the shippers lose.
Grading Recommendations
Do not let potatoes sit in the sun
on trucks Or platforms after deliv.
cry.
Eliminate large hoppers at grad
ers. They require too much rough
handling Of potatoes.
Train your labor to place, not
throw, potatoes in unloading trucks
and feeding graders.
Pad all orner and edges of the
grader which contact potatoes. Use
sponge rubber cushions under all
drops from higher to lower levels.
Prevent potatoes from hitting the
floor when dropping off the picking
table into bags. Use padding Under