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THE GENESEE FARMER. 



CULTIVATION OF POTATOES IN IEELAND. 



At a meeting of the Westmeath Farmers' Club, 

 a series of questions were submitted to the Club in 

 regard to the culture of potatoes. One of the 

 members, C. Letinge, had succeeded in producing 

 seventeen tons of potatoes to the Irish acre (H 

 acres) last year. The following is a condensed re- 

 port of the replies to the questions : 



Q. 1. — "Autumn culture and the time for plow- 

 ing." R. — A good deep furrow should be given to 

 the land early in the autumn, say in November at 

 latest. 



Q. 2. — " Whether drills or ridges are preferable." 

 R. — In dry seasons drills answer well, and probably 

 in such seasons produce most, but on an average 

 of seasons ridges preferred. This latter point af- 

 firmed, on a vote, by a large majority, and that the 

 ridge potatoes are far best for eating. 



Q. 3. — -"Proper width for ridges." R. — From 2 

 feet 6 inches to 3 feet, with 18 inch furrows. [Mr. 

 C. Levinge recommends the narrower width.] 



Q. 4. — '• Degree of fineness of soil." R. — The 

 better the land is tilled and prepared, the better for 

 the crop. 



Q. 5. — "Quality and quantity of manure." R. 

 —There should be a liberal dressing of barn-yard 

 manure, through which a mixture of bog mould is 

 desirable, where practicable. Ashes alone cause 

 the crop to yield well ; also pure bog mould alone 

 on stubble, where the soil under is good, and on a 

 limestone substratum. Mr. C. Levinge had used 

 guano, but the potatoes were large and hollow. On 

 high red bog, however, guano had been used with 

 success for this crop. 



Q. 6. — "Mode of applying manure." R. — Plant 

 on the manure. [It was agreed to try a piece of 

 ground with the manure laid on over the sets, and 

 another with the potatoes stuck, and the manure 

 put on before the potatoes appear over ground, as 

 in Connaught.] 



Q. 7. — "Kind of seed." R. — Choose a large, 

 hardy variety. 



Q. 8. — "Preparation of seed." R. — Should be 

 cut clean,, and not broken. Mr. Richakd Cody re- 

 commends cutting with a thin sharp knife, and 

 says the effects of a nick of the spado in digging 

 shows the necessity for this, as where the spade 

 cuts, the tuber rots around. The seed should be 

 allowed to skin over, after being cut, before being 

 planted. Mr. C. Levinge says there will be more 

 marketable potatoes from large potatoes with sin- 

 gle eyes, and one cut in each potato, than any other 

 way. 



Q. 9. — "Period for planting." R. — As soon as 

 the bud begins to show on the potatoes, probably 

 end of February or beginning of March, for the 

 general crop ; but each variety should be planted 

 without delay as the bud appears. Nature points 

 this out. 



Q. 10. — "Second moulding or earthing up." R. 

 — Before the plant comes over the ground ; if done 

 after, the growth is checked, and the progress of 

 the plant retarded, to the great disadvantage of 

 their after-growth. If they should bo up before 

 second culture, it is better to earth them up mere- 

 ly, as in the case of drills, not to cover them. 



Q. 11.— "Time for raising the crop." R,— Be- 

 fore the bottom of the stalks is quite dry and pow- 

 dery; that is, while there is yet some green in the 

 lowermost parts of the stalk. 



Q. 12. — "Best mode of storing." R. — In pits, 

 made on a level with or over the surface of the 

 ground, and then clamped up and kept dry over- 

 head with straw or other material. 



CULTIVATION OF THE SWEET POTATO. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer : — In your March num- 

 ber, " Young Farmer," of Kittaning, Pa., makes an 

 inquiry about sweet potatoes. Perhaps I can help 

 him with my experience, as I have been quite suc- 

 cessful in that line. And, as there is a probability 

 of there being a scarce supply this season, these re- 

 marks may be of use to others- also. 



The Seed. — In the culture of ordinary potatoes, 

 the tuber is planted ; with sweet potatoes^ the 

 sprouts are planted or set out. I prefer to raise- 

 my own sprouts, as I am then certain of the varie- 

 ty. I procure medium size, smooth potatoes, well 

 tilled with eyes, allowing at the rate of four bush- 

 els per acre. These will probably cost $2.50 to $3 

 per bushel. Be sure the potatoes have no black or 

 soft spots, and above all do not let them get bruised, 

 for if you do, they will rot instead of sprouting. 



Seed Bed. — Between the 1st and 15th of April, 

 take a hot-bed frame and put in it stable manure 

 to the depth of a foot, tramping it down hard. 

 Cover this about one inch deep with sand, level it 

 and lay the potatoes on it about two inches apart. 

 Cover them with sand one and a half to two inches 

 deep, water moderately and put on the glass. Do 

 not water again until the sprouts show themselves, 

 and then very moderately, unless the bed become 

 very dry and parched. The moisture from the 

 heating manure is usually enough to sprout them. 

 .Allow just air enough to carry off the surplus 

 moisture. 



[As this communication will appear too late for 

 the seed-bed to be available, I will state that 

 sprots can be obtained from reliable growers at 25 

 to 50 cents per 100. Allow at the rate of 6,000 

 sprouts per acre.] 



Planting and Culture. — The sweet potato re- 

 quires a warm, sandy soil. With me they have 

 succeeded best on a soil rather gravelly. About 

 the middle of May ir the first of June, manure 

 your plot moderately, and plow or spade it in 

 about six or eight inches deep. Then plow fur- 

 rows about three and a half to four feet apart, and 

 the same depth as previously worked. It is better 

 to run these furrows north and south, for then both 

 sides of the ridges get the benefit of the sun. Fill 

 this furrow about one-half full of well-rotted horse 

 manure. Then turn the furrow back from each 

 side, covering the manure, and making the ridge 

 about six inches high and from fifteen to eighteen 

 inches broad on top. On this ridge, set out the 

 sprouts about eighteen inches apart. If the ground 

 is very dry, and there is no prospect of rain, give 

 them a little water at the time of setting out, 

 which should be just at evening. 



It is not necessary to take up the potatoes to ob- 

 tain the sprouts, but merely rub them off with the 

 linger as soon as large enough to set out; leaving 

 the tuber to throw out a second crop. 



