500 THE POTATO 



The fine condition in which the grounds and 

 parks around the castles in these great estates 

 are kept is a marvel to an American farmer who 

 is used to seeing more or less untidiness about 

 the homes of some of our largest farmers. 



The vocation of the wealthy German farmer is 

 certainly alluring not only from the comforts it 

 brings but the pleasure that must come with the 

 accomplishment of results in soil building and 

 crop production. 



The farming end of these estates is laid out like a 

 manufacturing establishment the crops, fertiliz- 

 ers, etc., all planned in ten-year cycles. A four-crop 

 rotation is being used, but a map is made showing 

 just what each field is to do for a ten-year period. 



A large amount of vegetable matter in the form 

 of cover crop is returned to the soil; and prac- 

 tically all forage crops are fed on the farm, the 

 manures carefully kept and returned to the land. 



Five hundred acres on the Kriesheim estate 

 are kept for permanent pasture for horses, dry 

 cows and young stock. The 100 milking dairy 

 cows are kept in barns constantly and fed green 

 cut grass, beet tops, clover hay, etc. 



The land is light, sandy loam, but is valued at 

 $125 an acre and rents for $3 an acre annually. 



The farm hands get 35 cents a day with 

 cabin, garden and 900 pounds of grain. 



The potatoes have been developed for years 

 for high percentage of starch, this quality being 

 especially desired in the manufacture of starch 

 and alcohol. They are coarse and low in quality 

 as compared with British or French varieties. 



On the place potatoes have been grown for 

 fifty years without spraying, but this year (1910) 

 the blight was a serious menace to the crop. 



