110 The Potato 



region. It is a perennial, is deep-rooted, produces several 

 cuttings to distribute labor and risk of bad weather 

 through a longer period, yields heavily, is of high value 

 for either feed or sale, gets part of its nitrogen from the 

 air and part of its mineral food from the deep subsoil, 

 and leaves the soil in excellent condition to grow potatoes. 

 Its use is gradually extending in the eastern half of the 

 United States as the methods necessary for its growth 

 become better understood. It may never attain to the 

 commanding position here which it holds in the agricul- 

 ture of the western half of the country, but it is certain 

 to become more generally grown than now. An objec- 

 tion to the use of alfalfa in a potato rotation in the East 

 is that the heavy liming generally necessary induces scab 

 on the potatoes. 



The hay crops usually grown in rotation with potatoes 

 in the northern states are the clovers, timothy and red- 

 top. Except for growing only one season, red clover has 

 most of the good qualities of alfalfa. The growth of 

 either is a sign of land in good condition. Both require 

 considerable lime in the soil, though clover needs less 

 than alfalfa. While the potato will make fair crops on 

 land that is sour and low in organic matter, it grows 

 better if the soil is in the well-drained and slightly alkaline 

 condition in which the beneficial soil bacteria live best. 

 The second cutting of common red clover is often turned 

 under in potato rotations on account of benefit to the soil. 

 ]\Iammoth red clover is a larger and coarser variety of 

 the red. Alsike clover is lighter in yield than the red, but 

 is able to grow on many poor, wet or sour soils where red 

 clover will fail. It should be substituted for the red 

 wholly or in part wherever there is danger that the red 

 will fail to grow. Timothy is a hay plant of great value 



