202 Effective Farming 



vate, and harvest, quick to mature, and the tubers are likely 

 to be of good quality. 



111. Fertilizing, land. In the East more manure and com- 

 mercial fertilizer to the acre are used for white potatoes than 

 for any other farm crop. Often as high as one thousand to 

 two thousand pounds an acre of commercial fertilizer are 

 applied to the soil. The fertilizer should be high in the mineral 

 elements, but may be relatively low in nitrogen. A formula 

 much used in the Eastern States is 3-8-10. Many growers 

 claim, however, that this is too high in potash. During the 

 war with Germany, with potash fertilizers so high in price and 

 difficult to secure, growers are obliged to use much less potash 

 than formerly ; nevertheless they secure good results. 



112. Planting. The time for planting white potatoes 

 varies with the climatic conditions, the variety, and whether 

 early or late varieties are grown. In northern sections early 

 varieties are planted as soon as the ground can be prepared 

 in the spring. Late varieties are usually planted in May, 

 although in some sections not until the middle of June. In 

 the South for the first crop, potatoes are planted from February 

 to April, according to conditions and the late crop, from about 

 July 15 to August 15. 



Quantity and size of seed potatoes. The quantity of seed 

 pieces to be planted to the acre varies with the distance apart 

 they are placed and with the method adopted. If the crop is 

 grown in drills about thirty inches apart and the pieces are 

 fifteen inches apart in the row, about seventeen or eighteen 

 bushels of seed pieces are necessary for each acre. If grown in 

 hills about thirty-six inches apart, about twelve bushels are 

 required. 



The determination of the best size of seed piece has been the 

 basis of many experiments and the results seem to show that 

 a three-ounce piece will give larger yields than those of any 

 other size. The question, also, as to whether whole or cut seed 

 should be used is of importance. For the main crop in the 



