f ( 



Repoet of Fakmers' Institutes 



Let us see what six other farmers received when following the 

 old custom of planting their potatoes far apart, allowing 7.44 

 feet per hill. Their average yield per acre was 281 bushels. 

 Planting far apart has given them an average of 27 per cent 

 oversized potatoes, undesirable for table use or seed stock. They 

 are the kind of potatoes that we ordinarily get when we order 

 mashed potatoes in the restaurant. These six men have an average 

 of 56 per cent seed stock, which, at 50 cents per bushel, would 

 net them $80.68. The entire crop marketed at the car (this in- 

 cludes the very smallest as well as the oversized potatoes) would 

 bring $70.25. These men by grading their potatoes and selling 

 according to this standard would have gained $10.43. However, 

 from my point of view, this seed would have been very undesirable 

 because it had not been properly grown. In addition to the $10.43 

 gained, they would also have had 123 bushel of potatoes to feed 

 to the stock. 



Closer planting, then, not only gives us larger yields per acre, 

 but stock that is more desirable either for table use or for seed. 

 It also gives a larger money return for labor. We find that by 

 closer planting of potatoes in Cortland County the farmer can 

 decrease the area planted by 38 per cent^ or a little more than 

 one-third, and receive the same for his potatoes as he formerly did 

 when he planted by the old method. This is a saving of labor, 

 fertilizer and ground that can be employed to grow other crops. 

 In other words, it is a better utilization of the soil. 



This third chart shows that potatoes will ordinarily grade the 

 same when planted the same distances apart on practically the 

 same kind of soil, whether yielding heavy or light. 



Results of Two Yeaks' Grading of Potatoes on Farm of M. F. Webb 



