THE POTATO 389 



water applied is under absolute control, as with 

 irrigation. 



Potatoes grow best in a mellow, deep, easily- 

 worked, rich soil, one that does not bake and is 

 well drained. Soils classed as sandy loam and 

 volcanic ash are excellent. Drainage is important, 

 as the water table should be at least three feet 

 below the surface. With the gradual but marked 

 fall of the Twin Falls North Side tract to the south 

 and west toward the Snake River, and the numer- 

 ous draws and coulees, it is one of the best drained 

 tracts of land in the world. 



A light, fine soil is easily worked. It responds 

 more quickly to culture, and the potatoes at digging 

 time come out clean and free from dirt, and keep 

 better. Soil and crop experts, without exception, 

 class the soils on the Twin Falls North Side tract 

 as perfect for the growing of potatoes. It is chem- 

 ically right, and has produced crops that have 

 never been equalled in quality anywhere. The 

 tubers grown in it are smooth, clear skinned, con- 

 tain a high per centage of solid matter, are firm, of 

 excellent flavor, and when dry come out of the 

 ground as clean as new dollars from the mint. 

 Besides that, the yield per hill and per acre is very 

 large. 



The principal shipping points in this territory 

 are Idaho Falls, American Falls, Rupert, Burley, 

 Turn Falls, Buhl, Jerome, Wendell, Gooding, 

 Bliss, Mountain Home, Pampa, Boise, Caldwell, 

 Payette, and Weiser — all in Idaho. 



In the Burley potato contest in 1910, L. A. and W. 

 L. Snyder of Twin Falls, Idaho, won the first prize of 

 $500. The production on one acre was 38,685 

 pounds gross weight. The weight of culls was 4,150 

 pounds, making 34,535 pounds, or 575| bushels, of 



