THE POTATO 379 



It has an astonishingly strong constitution, and 

 seems to easily resist the many diseases that 

 afflict potatoes elsewhere. Much of this is due 

 to the ideal conditions that exist here. It is im- 

 possible to grow a firm texture, high quality po- 

 tato in a hot soil. The soil here is always cool and 

 the tuber has plenty of time to mature. 



The consuming public has not yet learned to 

 discriminate in the quality of potatoes. Grad- 

 ually the demand for the high quality potato is 

 increasing, however, and the time will come when 

 the people of the East will insist upon having the 

 fine tubers grown in the mountain valleys of 

 Colorado. When that time comes Colorado will 

 produce twenty million bushels annually instead 

 of six million, as at present, and the fame of the 

 Carbondale potato will be equal to that of the 

 Rocky Ford cantaloupe. 



The important requisite in securing the best 

 results in potato growing is to plant in an open, 

 porous, well-prepared soil. The soil must be well 

 supplied with humus, or vegetable mould, so that it 

 is open and easily accessible to air, as the best po- 

 tatoes must have air, especially when maturing. 

 Excessive irrigation contracts and solidifies the 

 soil. I practise frequent cultivation, and with 

 special machinery ridge the hills high and wide, 

 with a deep trench for the irrigation. For at least 

 two months previous to maturing I do not irri- 

 gate, allowing the tubers to mature in a soil 

 almost dry, the tap and feeder roots providing 

 all the moisture needed for the tubers. By this 

 method the tubers when ripe come from the soil 

 in a clean, bright condition; the skin is tough 

 and the potato keeps better. 



The Perfect Peachblow is the best keeping po- 



