398 THE POTATO 



cultivated three or four times after the plants are 

 up, the cultivation being done with a regular horse 

 cultivator and with a small shovel plow. They 

 are usually irrigated four times. During the first 

 two irrigations which are given, one before blos- 

 soming and one just after blossoming time, the 

 water is run in every other row, the second time 

 running the water in the row alternately with the 

 rows in which the water was run the first time. 

 The last two irrigations are given as the plants 

 show need of water. As a rule twenty acre inches 

 of water are applied during the season. 



"In harvesting I have noted that those who are 

 growing early potatoes use the centre-draft hand- 

 plow and gather by hand to prevent peeling the 

 thin-skinned tubers. In many localities regular 

 machines for digging are used, and wherever used 

 are giving entire satisfaction. 



"Potatoes are stored both in pits and cellars. 

 Pits are made by digging a trench four feet wide 

 and one foot deep and as long as necessary. The 

 bottom of this is then covered with four inches of 

 straw. The potatoes that are being stored are 

 then placed in the pit and covered with about six 

 inches of straw, about six inches of earth is then 

 put on the straw, leaving ventilation holes about 

 every eight feet. These ventilation holes should 

 have an extra whisp of straw in them. A trench 

 is now dug around the pit to insure good drainage. 

 Where cellars are used care is taken that they shall 

 be particularly well ventilated. 



"Utah potatoes last year were shipped to Chey- 

 enne, Wyo. ; Butte and Helena, Mont. ; Denver and 

 Pueblo, Col.; Topeka, Kan.; Kansas City, Mo.* 

 Austin, Hous.ton, and Galveston, Texas; San 

 Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles, Cal.; 



