The Question Box. 81 



2,000 pounds per acre were used. This is reinforced with barn 

 manure. It did not pay to use of such a fertilizer more than 

 1,000 pounds per acre on potatoes. 



Question. — How should potatoes be planted, in drills or squares 

 to do the land the most good by cultivation? 



A Parmer. — If I were going to give a general answer I should 

 say, plant them in drills, providing I wanted the largest crop. 

 But the check-row system will enable one to give better cultiva- 

 tion, which may be needed on weedy land. 



Question. — Shall we plant shallow and hill up, or deeply and 

 give level cultivation? 



Several farmers said they preferred deep planting, followed 

 by practically level cultivation, the cultivator doing all the hilling 

 necessary. 



Question. — Will it be most profitable for farmers to continue 

 growing potatoes, or do mixed farming ? 



Mr. Ward. — On Long Island, potato growing has been exten- 

 sively carried on a number of years. Thousands of dollars are 

 annually expended for commercial fertilizers, the amount having 

 been increased each year, until the farmers were putting on a ton 

 to the acre. Experiments, however, showed that one-half as 

 many fertilizers, if applied with barn manure, produced better 

 results. This was because the manure added humus to the soil, 

 which held moisture that made the plant food in the manure and 

 fertilizer available. 



Question. — I have a piece of land that has been fertilized with 

 horse manure a number of years and is very rich. I plant pota- 

 toes on it every year. The tops grow very rank, but the tubers 

 are very small. What shall I do to increase the size and number 

 of tubers? 



Mr. Smith. — There is too much nitrogen in the soil. Apply 

 available potash and phosphoric acid. Muriate of potash and dis- 

 solved South Carolina rock are best. Potatoes require these min- 

 eral elements, particularly the potash. Wood ashes will be found 

 a good fertilizer for potatoes on such soil, provided they do not 

 cost too much. 



Question. — How many potatoes, and how should they be cut 

 to plant an acre? 



Mr. Woodward. — It would depend on the size of the potato, 

 the richness of the soil and the variety of the potato. Rural New 

 Yorker will produce best when cut to one eye and planted in drills, 

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