THE POTATO. 



The potato is one of the leading food staples of this country, the 

 yield in favorable seasons aggregates nearly if not quite 200,000,000 

 bushels, and Colorado is already becoming noted for the size and excel- 

 lence of its product of the great tuber. 



The soil best adapted to the growth of the crop in Northern Colorado 

 is a good sandy loam, with clayey sub-soil. Early and deep plowing in 

 the spring is recommended, in order to have the land ready to receive 

 and hold the moisture that falls at this season. The best results are 

 obtained by planting from May 15th to June 1st. Some plant sooner 

 than this to secure advantage of the early market, but the yield will be 

 lighter, tubers smaller in size, and the crop uncertain. 



The general practice is to use medium and small sized potatoes for 

 planting, and if the seed used is sound and ripe at digging time the small 

 ones will give as good returns as if large seed is used. Cut the large ones 

 twice in two and the small ones once for planting. Avoid cutting peed too 

 small in this dry climate as it is liable to wither and become dried up 

 before it has time to sprout. For the same reason never cut seed many 

 days before planting as it is apt to become dry and worthless. 



PLANTING. 



The old method is still adhered to by some of furrowing out with 

 plow and dropping by hand. But when a large acreage is to be put in 

 the two-horse planter is generally used. Among the several kinds in use 

 the one that is regarded as among the safest and best is made by fixing a 

 frame on the running gear of a walking cultivator, with a long shoe in 

 front to make the furrow, and two oval shields in the rear to do the cov- 

 ering. By fixing a hopper on top to hold the seed, with a spout down 

 to the furrow, and arranging a lead for the dropper, one man can do the 

 planting as fast as an ordinary team can walk. 



Another kind is made in a similar way out 01 a two-horse corn 

 planter, which will plant two rows at once, but this kind requires two 

 droppers and one driver. Four horses are used abreast and more acres 



