468 EJPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2 GEORGE V., A. f912 



irrigated farm has enough alfalfa seeded down so that he can afford to break up a 

 four or five year old field to plant his potatoes on, he will have a field that will ho 

 certain to give large returns. 



As indicated above, to avoid the possibility of producing potatoes of poor quality, 

 care must be exercised as to when and how the crop is irrigated. It probably requires 

 more skill and experience to raise potatoes successfully under irrigation than any 

 other crop commonly grown here at the present time. The secret appears to lie in 

 being able to keep the plants growing vigorously from the beginning with no set- 

 backs, and on the other hand in being able to apply the water so that too sudden growth 

 will not be stimulated at any time. If possible, the first irrigation should not only bo 

 very light, but it should not be given until the small potatoes are set and are perhaps 

 the size of peas. This stage is usually about the time the first blooms appear. If the 

 crop is wet before this time there is danger of the plants setting more potatoes than 

 they will be able to develop to a marketable size. To be sure that the potatoes are not 

 wet too much when the first irrigation is given, it is well to run the water between 

 every alternate row only and turn it off just as soon as it gets through so as not to let 

 the ground soak up any more than is necessary. As soon as the ground dries suffici- 

 ently, the land should be given a shallow cultivation. About ten days after the first 

 irrigation, the second should be given. This time, the water may be run down between 

 all the rows and should be allowed to remain running until the land is well wet. After 

 irrigation has once begun, the land should never be allowed to dry out completely. 

 Unless heavy showers intervene, it will be found necessary in order to maintain this 

 condition to irrigate about every ten days. After each irrigation, as soon as the 

 surface of the soil dries sufficiently, it should be given a shallow cultivation. If, for 

 any reason, after irrigation has once begun, the land is allowed to become relatively 

 dry, the potatoes should not again be irrigated, for, if they are, a second growth is 

 almost certain to be induced, and this will injure the quality, for the main cause of 

 soggy potatoes being produced when grown under irrigation is from allowing the land 

 to become somewhat dry so that the growth is checked and then applying and inducing 

 a fresh growth of roots and tops. 



POTATOES (IRRIGATED) — TEST OF VARIETIES. 



Fifteen varieties of potatoes were planted May 13 in rows thirty inches apart, the 

 sets being placed about one foot apart in the rows. The land was prepared the same 

 as for the turnips and mangels, etc. The potatoes for planting were cut in pieces with 

 two or three eyes to each, although medium rather than large-sized potatoes were 

 selected, so as to avoid cutting as much as possible. The crop was irrigated five times, 

 July 12, 21, 30, and August 11 and 20. They were dug October 5. Anything smaller 

 than a good-sized hen's egg was classed as unmarketable. There was no rot or scab 

 among the potatoes dug. The yield was calculated from the product of two rows, 

 each sixty-six feet long. 



