428 THE POTATO 



countries it is grown to the best advantage during 

 the cooler parts of the growing season. For in- 

 stance in the Sacramento Valley there are two 

 growing seasons each year: Potatoes planted in 

 February or early in March are dug in July or 

 August and those planted in August are dug late in 

 November. Many failures are recorded when the 

 crop is planted in May or June because of the too 

 intense heat of atmosphere and soil during the 

 period that the tuber should be forming and de- 

 veloping. 



This climatic situation makes two crops of po- 

 tatoes possible where soil conditions are right and 

 cultural conditions are properly managed. 



It should be possible to make early potatoes one 

 of the largest per acre revenue yielding crops in 

 the valley because of the possibilities of getting 

 the crop on the market when high prices preva.il. 



The potato-growing business is a very profit- 

 able one now on the bottom lands along the Sacra- 

 mento and San Joaquin rivers and on the islands 

 and deltas. 



The easiest kind of soil in which to grow po- 

 tatoes is a sandy loam, or one well filled with 

 humus or decayed vegetable matter. 



The reason for this is that such a soil is easies 4 ; 

 to work; it does not bake when it becomes dry, it 

 takes water from irrigation in sufficient quantity 

 but does not water-log, it drains readily, and is a 

 mellow, friable medium in which the tubers can 

 develop symmetrically and quickly without too 

 great resistance 



In order to grow potatoes on heavy clay and clay 

 loam soils, in which the percentage of sand or vege- 

 table matter is very small, it is necessary to do 

 such preparatory work as is necessary to make 



