Cultural Directions. 237 



POTATOES (WHITE.) 



Solatium Tuberosum. German, Kartoffel; French , Pomme-de- 

 terre ; Spanish, Batatas. The invention of potato planters and 

 diggers, and the adoption of simplified culture generally, with 

 consequent greatly increased production and greatly diminished 

 average prices, have rendered potato growing for fall and winter 

 market on a small scale much less profitable than it was a few 

 years ago, and are more and more taking the business out of the 

 hands of the small grower, and concentrating it in the hands of a 

 few who plant large areas. The extensive grower has immense 

 advantages in the opportunities afforded him to make use of all 

 the modern improved implements ; and the small-scale operator 

 can hope to stand up against this ruinous machine competition 

 only by adopting a highly intensive system of cultivation. It is 

 an unfortunate development, but seems to be the natural out- 

 growth of all our present industrial conditions, and in entire 

 conformity with those in other branches of business. Potatoes 

 may yet be grown on a similar plan as wheat growing is now 

 carried on at the west by the Dalrymples ; but while the yields 

 on the large-scale plan may be a little above 100, and certainly 

 less than 150 bushels per acre, the small grower, by careful 

 selection of soil, varieties, manures, etc., should aim to bring his 

 crop up to double the yields named, which together with the far 

 smaller cost of getting the crop to market, must more than offset 

 all large-scale advantages. 



The production of late potatoes for market is a farm (not a 

 garden) operation, but the cultivation of early varieties often fits 

 nicely into market-garden rotation, and, of course, belongs to the 

 family garden also. 



SOIL AND MANURE. Under proper treatment, the crop can 

 be grown on soil of almost any composition, provided it has a good 

 natural or artificial drainage Sandy loam, however, is always 

 considered best best for the yield and best for quality of tuber. 

 All soils for potatoes, however, should be generously provided 

 with humus (decayed vegetable matter), the more the better ; 

 hence a young clover sod is always given the preference. 



Where the humus supply in the soil is scant, nothing better 

 in the way of manure could be applied than thoroughly-rotted 

 compost. Raw stable manure is to be avoided unless it can be 

 applied a year in advance, or on a preceding crop. As a general 

 thing, it is much safer to depend on soil in good fertility rather 

 than on manure applications ; but on soils containing a sufficiency 

 of vegetable matter I would use a good high-grade complete 

 fertilizer, such as now made by most large fertilizer concerns 

 especially for potatoes and other vegetables (a " special potato 



