s 



THE FARMERS' MONTHLY, MAY, 1928 



the 



Five Factors Make I generally produce results. Cutting 



Potatoes Yield a Profit :«eed lengthwise once and then cutting 

 Continued from page 1. column 



desire to get a good crop. The tools may 

 be different, but the same principles 

 apply to both. While potatoes are grown 

 on many kinds of soil, varying from a 

 light sandy soil to a rather heavy clay 

 loam, the best results are secured on a 

 medium loam soil. 



Proper moisture supply is important 

 and to this end humus or organic matter 

 is an important factor because of its 

 function in holding a reserve of moisture. 

 Too much and toolittle moisture are equal 

 in reducing production. A good strong 

 sod or a coating of manure and fall plow- 

 ing are to be recommended in preparation 

 for potatoes. By spring the land will 

 have settled and early attention can be 

 given to preparing the seed bed. A well 

 fined soil and early destruction of weeds 

 will help the crop materially. 



Much has been wasted on poor seed, 

 and likely much good seed has failed to 

 give results because of failure to provide 

 other conditions. Certified seed has found 

 and kept its place in the potato business. 

 Such seed is grown under conditions that 

 protect it from the many diseases that 

 reduce the yield. Other conditions being 

 equ^l, the difference between common and 

 certified seed may be from .50 to 100 

 bushels per acre in favor of the certified. 

 The extra cost of certified seed is a small 

 factor in the total cost of the crop. It 

 doesn't take many extra bushels to pay 

 the diff'erence. 



Use Enough Seed 

 Many growers apparently do not use 

 enough seed. Fifteen bushels per acre 

 is a fair rate of planting if fertilization 

 is adjusted accordingly. Some use more 

 but the average is less than this figure. 

 Seed pieces dropped 12 to 14 inches apai't 

 in the row, with the rows about three feet 

 apai't, will be found satisfactory for most 

 cases. On very light soils greater dis- 

 tance apart may be desirable, due to 

 limited moisture supply. 



Seed treatment with corrosive subli- 

 mate or with some of the newer organic 

 mercury compounds is a form of in- 

 surance again.st certain diseases carried 

 on the surface of the seed. It may be 

 omitted only when there is a certainty 

 that the seed is clean. 



Some growers practice greening the 

 seed, or spreading it out where exposure 

 to light will result in the development of 

 short-stocky sprouts. This may be an 

 advantage to those who v/ish to get extra 

 early ripening or where storage conditions 

 in the spring are such that the potatoes 

 will develop long, white sprouts due to 

 temperature conditions. Circumstances 

 of the individual must be determine the 

 practice, Mr. Helyar points out. 



There are many ideas about cutting 

 seed potatoes, too many to recount here. 

 A good blocky seed piece with one eye will 



each half once or more crosswise will pro 

 duce this kind. Small potatoes can be 

 planted whole or cut once lengthwise. 

 Small potatoes ai-e satisfactory for seed 

 if they are known to have come from good 

 healthy plants. 



Apply Plant Food Liberally 

 The standard fertilizer application 

 for potatoes seems to be a 5-8-7 fertilizer 

 used at the rate of one ton per acre. With 

 liberal applications of manure, somewhat 

 less may be used. It seems, however, to 

 be the better practice to depend on the 

 commercial fertilizer for plant food. The 

 fertilizer should be placed so that it will 

 not come in contact with the seed piece. 

 The ideal method is to split the applica- 

 tion so the fertilizer will be on each side 

 of the seed piece and at the same level. 



Styles in fertilizrs are changing and we 

 find the so-called double-strength goods 

 being offered. Instead of a 5-8-7, we find 

 growers using a 10-16-14 grade, but need- 

 ing to use only half as much. When pro- 

 perly used, the results are equal to the 

 older practices. 



Hand labor is expensive. Where acre- 

 age warrants using horse drawn imple- 

 ments, much can be done to control weeds 

 before the potatoes are up. After plant- 

 ing, the field can be rolled and planked 

 and then harrowed or gone over with a 

 weeder to get the thousands of weeds that 

 start while the potatoes are sprouting. 

 After the plants are up, the cultivator 

 can take care of the weeds and provide 

 the mulch that will help retain moisture. 

 In hilling and cultivation, much 

 damage can be done in cutting off roots. 

 A little .study of the root system will help 

 to determine the care necessary. 



Protect Potatoes From Pests 



Owing to fatalities in potato growing 

 due to the ravages of diseases and insects, 



it would seem to be wise to organize the 

 business around the spraying and dusting 

 outfit that is available. Without ade- 

 quate protection, the potato crop will too 

 often yield a loss instead of a gain. When 

 the potato beetle, the leaf hopper, and the 

 late blight have free run, it doesn't make 

 much difference how careful one has been 

 about seed and fertilizer. 



The standard matei-ial for potato pro- 

 tection is Bordeaux mixture, made of 

 copper sulfate, lime, and water. Rather 

 than to give all the details of spraying 

 and dusting here, Mr. Helyar suggests 

 that his information be solicited from 

 your county agricultural agent or fi"om 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural College. 

 Also write to the college for Extension 

 Leaflet No. 21 on" Potato Insects and Dis- 

 eases and Their Control." It is not out 

 of place though to emphasize the necessity 

 of keeping the plants protected at all 

 times. 



Use an 

 Effective Disinfectant 



after removing reactors 

 We carry Parke, Davis & Co.'s 



COMPOUND SOLUTION OF 

 CRESOL, U. S. P. 



Recommended by the U. S. 

 of Agriculture 



Price right for quality, 

 delivery in gallon lots. 



Dep't 



Free 



I 



I 



WISWELL THE DRUGGIST 



82 Main Street 

 Northampton, 



Mass. 



Sharp tools on the Farm make work 

 much easier, pleasanter and quicker 



The best material for giving a uniform sharp edge to your 

 cutting tools is Carborundum. We have a great variety of 

 Carborundum stones in sizes and grits coarse, fine and medium 

 and a dandy special sharpening stone for the kitchen and table 

 knives. 



TJiat Good Hardware Store 



Tel. 11 



Foster-Farrar Co. 



Open 



Saturday 



Evening 



162 Main Street 



Northampton, Mass. 



