POTATOES FOR THE MARKET GARDENER. 389 



Sheperdia, with its silvery leaves, contrasts finely with many of the 

 darker leaved shrubs. Euonymus, or strawberry tree, is quite or- 

 namental with its red berries hanging on all winter. The kinnikin- 

 nick, or red stemmed dogwood, makes a pretty sight in early spring, 

 especially if there is golden willow near it. 



POTATOES FOR THE MARKET GARDENER. 



FRANKLIN DE COU, ST. PAUL. 



The prominence which Minnesota butter has given to Minnesota 

 should be a stimulus to every other agricultural or horticultural 

 industry to perfect itself and be abreast with, if not in the lead of, 

 the sister product. I am inclined to think that no better potatoes 

 are grown anywhere than in Minnesota, and should we who grow 

 potatoes use care in selecting varieties suited to our soils, and the 

 most promising of these varieties, we could soon place our potato 

 crop in the market as seed potatoes, thus commanding a price 

 above the average merchantable potato. But after this selection of 

 varieties, time and mode of planting, culture, harvesting and stor- 

 ing must follow with equal care and patient persistence. 



For a money crop, the potato stands a little above the average 

 when carefully, continually and intelligently followed up. The 

 early potato has our preference, especially for the market gardener, 

 whose interests we are supposed to champion today. 



Plowing early is one of the necessities. If sod ground is to be 

 planted, and preferably clover sod, August plowing the previous 

 year is desirable; for if in sandy land the ground settles and rots the 

 vegetable matter, making it available for plant use, the nitrogen of 

 the clover being particularly beneficial to potato growth; if clay 

 land, the freezing and thawing of winter renders the land friable 

 and much better suited to early planting and adapted to potato cul- 

 ture. But all fall and summer plowing has this objection, the great 

 loss of nitrogen during the winter. We have sometimes covered a 

 piece of plowed ground with tomato vines or straw in the fall, and 

 could see the following season the improved growth of plants on 

 these spots through the whole season, especially should a drouth 

 intervene between planting and harvesting. 



But to get our potatoes planted: It is supposed this land is fairly 

 fertile, but it should be aided by an application of 400 pounds of 

 guano or 600 to 800 pounds of bone meal to the acre in the row — but 

 do not let the seed come in contact with the guano. 



The ground being plowed early, dry enough to harrow nicely— do 

 it thoroughly — then level, pulverize and make compact to withstand 

 drouth. If to be planted by hand, make the furrows two feet eight 

 inches apart and eight inches deep, with a one-horse plow, the rows 

 running north and south. Leave the rows open for a day in the sun 

 to warm up, unless the season has been favorable for warming and 

 drying. 



For two seasons we have planted our potatoes with an Aspinwall 

 potato planter with very satisfactory results. Then the marking, 

 opening furrows, dropping and covering are done in one operation. 



