180 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



machinery for planting, cultivating and harvesting the 

 crop, which will further lessen the cost of production. 

 Aside from the increased consumption as an article of 

 food, great starch factories in various parts of the 

 country will open fields for more extended culture. The 

 potato crop of 1883 was over two hundred million bush- 

 els ; it has increased to more than three hundred million 

 bushels, showing a greater ratio of increase than the 

 population of the United States. In 1883 the average 

 yield per acre was about 84 bushels. In 1904 the aver- 

 age showed 110 bushels per acre, with an average price 

 of over 45 cents per bushel, being about $49 per acre. 

 From the above it will be seen that potato growing is 

 far more profitable than wheat with an average of about 

 twenty bushels to the acre. Furthermore, with the tax 

 now removed from denatured alcohol, the potato crop 

 must eventually figure largely in its production, which, 

 in the near future, may prove to be the most economi- 

 cal fuel both for motive and heating purposes. 



The Colorado potato beetle has undoubtedly in- 

 creased the cost of production, still a compensation may 

 be found in the tendency to maintain better average 

 prices, until a general introduction of improved ma- 

 chinery, together with advanced methods of coping with 

 insect pests and diseases, reduce the cost of production. 



Figure 8. 



It is highly probable that the potato bug has existed 

 for ages in the locality where the potato had its origin. 

 The extended and increased cultivation of the plant 

 westward toward their native habitat furnished fields 

 of food which resulted in their rapid increase spreading 

 eastward. Their appearance in the State of New York 

 was in the early sixties. The writer well remembers 

 how invariably their direction of travel was toward 

 the East, as if guided by a supernatural power. Al- 

 though varying considerably from a direct line, scores 

 of bugs could be seen pursuing the same general course. 

 Seldom could a bug be found traveling in another di- 

 rection. 



Numerous contributors to our agricultural journals 

 have added much to the knowledge of successful potato 

 culture, while a few have furnished valuable informa- 

 tion in treatises on the subject. The writer, having had 

 large experience in different parts of the country, also 

 having spent upward of six years in Europe, the greater 

 portion being in England, which time was devoted most- 

 ly to the study of potato culture in connection with in- 

 venting machinery for planting and digging the tubers, 

 therefore may be able to furnish some information ad- 

 vantageous at least to those who are beginners in the 

 business. 



Who shall engage in the business, what localities 

 and kinds of soil are best? In considering the first 



question the latter two should be included with it. Of 

 course the question of soil is most important, but where 

 the markets are exceptionally good (as in the instance 

 of large cities), and the land productive, potatoes may 

 be profitably grown. Although the product from heavy 

 land may be inferior to that grown on sandy soil, a 

 compensation lies in the advantage of easy marketing. 

 Again, localities with facilities for transportation to 

 the large markets are desirable, and those who are not 

 familiar with shipping can soon acquaint themselves 

 with the best methods by making a beautiful beginning, 

 perhaps by planting five to ten acres. A nearness to 

 market is often sufficient to waive a soil condition. On 

 the contrary, those who possess land exceptionally 

 adapted to potato growing, can afford to haul them a 

 long distance to market, the increased yield together 

 with fineness of quality making it an object of considera- 

 tion. 



The soil best adapted to produce a fine quality of 

 potatoes is undoubtedly the sandy or gravelly kind hav- 

 ing good drainage. Light land is sought by all ex- 

 perienced growers. The potato partakes largely of the 

 soil upon which it is grown, those from heavy land be- 

 ing heavy and sticky in their texture, especially in wet 

 seasons. However, much depends upon the mode of 

 culture, as shall be shown hereinafter; but, all things 

 taken into consideration, light soils are preferable. 



What varieties of potatoes shall we raise? is a 

 question which is perhaps equally important as either 

 of the preceding ones. Change and decay are stamped 

 upon every order of creation. Varieties of potatoes that 

 were grown successfully twenty years ago have degen- 

 erated and are supplanted by new kinds ; hence, the im- 

 portance of keeping pace with the times. The newer 

 sorts are usually more prolific and better able to with- 

 stand disease. To obtain a few potatoes of the most 

 promising varieties when first brought to notice in order 

 to test their quality and productiveness, a fair quantity 

 of seed can be produced by the time a demand for them 

 is made. By such tests with numerous new varieties, 

 a judicious selection of the best can be made with com- 

 paratively little outlay. It has been found that certain 

 varieties succeed best on certain soils and in different 

 sections of the country, while it is equally true that other 

 kinds succeed well in most soils and localities. 



Mr. E. E. Parkhurst of Presque Isle, Maine, the 

 largest grower of potatoes in the state, gives the fol- 

 lowing for the East: For early and late planting, the 

 Green Mountain leads all others for table use. For the 

 early market, the Irish Cobbler, Early Ohio, Bovee, Early 

 Kose, White Ohio, and Gem of Aroostook. As in the 

 Northwest, potatoes are largely grown in the state of 

 Maine and shipped to the south for seed. The Red Tri- 

 umph leads for this purpose. The next leading .seed va- 

 riety is the Early Rose, then follows the Early Norther, 

 Early Harvest, Ohio, Irish Cobbler, and Bovee. The 

 late seed varieties are Parkhurst Prize, Carman Nos. 

 1 and 3, Sir Walter Raleigh, Rural New Yorker and 

 Green Mountain. 



Mr. L. L. Olds, of Clinton, Wis., the most extensive 

 seed potato grower in the northwest, and authority on 

 the subject, has furnished the following list which in- 

 cludes the best varieties. The Rural New Yorker stands 

 first as a market variety all through the Northwestern 

 states. Burbanks do not yield as well as formerly, hence 

 not so much grown now. Rurals can be relied upon for 



