THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 463 



'I'he room is darkened when it is time to begin sprouting. It usually 

 takes between two and three M^eeks to get the sprouts one inch long in 

 our climate ; then the light is turned on in the boxes that the sprouts may 

 harden, so they will not break off in handling when planting. The 

 whole process usually takes about one month. If planting should 

 happen to be delayed for any reason set the boxes out in the bright light 

 and they will keep well. 



In our wet springs and cool climate we get a far better stand by 

 planting whole potatoes, as they very seldom rot, and are almost immune 

 from wireworms. 



The sprouted potatoes are planted by opening up furrows with a 

 plow, dropping in the potatoes and then covering with a small harrow. 



The later potatoes are usually cut two or three good eyes to a piece, 

 including the seed end, in which are found the strongest eyes in a potato. 

 The stem end is cut off and thrown away. 



If there are prospects of a damp spring, or if wireworms are known 

 to be in the ground, the cut seed is sprinkled with air-slaked lime, which 

 acts as a preservative to the potato. 



The main object before planting is to have a good mellow seed bed. 

 Planting had far better be delayed for a week or two than to plant before 

 the field is in a perfectly mellow condition. 



The various kinds of potato soils and different localities all have 

 varieties of potatoes best adapted to local conditions. 



Since we have only a small acreage on which to raise potatoes, my 

 husband thought it best to see if he could not find some other varieties 

 than those grown locally, which would give us large yields. For this 

 reason we have been conducting our experimental garden in potatoes for 

 over five years, constantly adding new varieties whenever possible and 

 discarding those after three years of proven failure. Last year we had 

 338 varieties in our garden. This year we have 120 after discarding 

 the useless and adding the new kinds of potatoes. 



For the early markets the Red Prizetaker and the Humphrey are the 

 best we have found to date ; they mature in about 90 days. Humphrey 

 is a round white potato similar to but earlier than the Uncle Sam, and 

 is an average early yielder. The Red Prizetaker requires very rich 

 soil — in fact, it can be planted in soil that has been covered with green 

 manure and never gets scabby ; this can not be said of any other potato 

 that I know of. The Red Prizetaker is oval and flat in shape and very 

 smooth, as its eyes are scarcely noticeable. It has a thin pink skin but 

 white flesh and is an excellent cooking potato. On rich soils it wall give 

 good returns. Both varieties will stand frost which will kill American 

 Wonder and Uncle Sam vines. We have had the last two varieties 

 killed by the same frost that did not affect the Humphrey or Prizetaker. 



For the medium early or main crop, depending on the time the 

 potatoes are planted, we grow the American Wonder and British Queen. 

 You are all acquainted with the American Wonder. 



We consider the British Queen our banner potato and feel that to 

 have found this one new variety has royally repaid us for all of the 

 labor in our experimental gardens. 



Last year the American Wonder and British Queen were planted in 

 plots side by side and the British Queen yielded one-third more potatoes. 

 The British Queen will mature two weeks earlier than the American 



