THE POTATO 367 



a car of Mammoth Pearl seed from northern Wis- 

 consin. We had some trouble in getting this car 

 sold, as we had to get $1.£5 per cwt. for it, but we 

 scattered the potatoes over the country — five 

 and ten sacks in a place. The result was a very 

 large increase in the crop and very much better 

 stock. Now our farmers do not object to paying 

 $2.00 per cwt. for seed." 



Lord Ogilvy says: 



"Whatever claims may be pressed by other 

 sections, it must be remembered that Greeley 

 is one of the best known districts in the potato 

 world. 



"The soils in their natural state were not com- 

 parable to some of the mountain plateaus and 

 gulches, where grow the wild potatoes, in their 

 adaptability to potato growing. Alfalfa growing 

 and storage of water were necessary before potatoes 

 could be produced to the amount of 10,000 car- 

 loads and upward per year. 



"There were no popple washes, leaf mould from 

 mountain slopes or accumulation of dead grasses 

 on the plains to furnish stored food for the crop. 

 Cactus of short growth as a rule indicated those 

 pliable rich loams containing granite sand as an 

 enduring base for the welfare of the potato. 



"The soil, so rich in mineral elements, was de- 

 ficient in humus, and it was not until alfalfa had 

 been grown some years that any tonnage was pro- 

 duced except here and there. The breaking up of 

 alfalfa at first gave an excess of humus in that it 

 forced vine and early growth; the tubers set on and 

 I matured during the excessive heat of summer. 

 An occasional run or two of river water at the 



