202 The Potato Crops 



known as " potato " in the South is the batatas or sweet 

 potato; in the North it is solanum (Irish or round potato). 

 Potatoes are tuber crops grown underground, and similar 

 types of tools are required as well as good knowledge of 

 the heavy handling of land. 



POTATO 



Deeply pulverized cool soil holding much capillary mois- 

 ture and rich in potash, carefully chosen seed tubers that 

 are also free from disease, deep and early planting, level 

 culture, frequent surface tillage to conserve moisture, cqire- 

 ful and persistent attention to the many diseases and 'in- 

 sects: these are requisites of the best potato culture. The 

 potato is propagated by divisions or cuttirigs of tubers. It 

 thrives best in a relatively cool climate: in the South, it is 

 successful only as an autumn to spring crop, for the mid- 

 summer season is too continuously hot. The potato is not 

 tender to light frosts. 



Potatoes are planted in drills or continuous furrows, 3 to 

 3% feet apart. Single pieces of tubers are dropped at inter- 

 vals of 12 to 18 inches. If the pieces are cut to one strong eye 

 and dropped at above distances, 8 to 10 bushels are required 

 to plant an acre. TJsually the pieces are cut to bear about two 

 good eyes or buds. Many planters use too little seed. The 

 " seed " is covered 3 to 5 inches deep, the latter depth only in 

 light or loose soil. The yield of potatoes averages about 75 

 bushels to the acre, but with forethought and good tillage and 

 some fertilizer, the yield should run from 200 to 300 bushels, 

 and occasional yields much exceed the latter figure. In large- 

 area operations potatoes are planted and harvested by machin- 

 ery, or by specially made plows. There are various devices for 

 sorting and grading them. 



Late blight (Pytophthora infestans) .—The appearance of 



