COMMERCIAL TRUCK CROPS ON TRUCKEE-CARSON PROJECT. 17 



take new root and give trouble in cultivating the potatoes. In the 

 spring the land should be again plowed, 6 to 8 inches deep, and 

 smoothed and graded to a uniform slope. A uniform grade is of 

 great importance, as the water should at no time rise high enough to 

 cover the tubers. A grade of 0.1 foot per 100 feet will irrigate, but 

 a little more slope is rather better. It is usually advantageous to 

 irrigate before the potatoes are planted, particularly if cut seed is 

 used, as the dry soil absorbs the moisture from the cut potato. 



Varieties. — The early varieties are not recommended for shipping. 

 Long-keeping and high-yielding sorts are better if the crop is to be 

 shipped. 



The Early Rose is grown to some extent, but is generally not satis- 

 factory, having too much waste from deep e3^es. 



The Burbank, or some similar white potato, is the favorite, being 

 more sought after in the California markets than other sorts. It is 

 by no means certain that the Burbank is the most desirable variety 

 from the growers' standpoint, as the tubers too frequently become 

 knotty, rough, and pointed. 



A variety known variously as Netted Burbank, Netted Gem, and 

 White Beauty has been tried in a small way. In shape it is better 

 than the Burbank and it is productive. 



The Rural New Yorker and Colorado Pearl have done well where 

 tried and seem to have less waste and fewer unmarketable tubers 

 than the Burbank variety. It is probable that some such varieties 

 will be found more profitable than the Burbank if no marketing 

 difficulties are encountered. 



Planting. — The rows should not be more than 3 feet apart, for 

 when farther than this there is the disadvantage of the waste of the 

 land and the greater length of time required for the water to seep 

 through under the hills. Most potato growers drop the seed 12 to 

 15 inches apart in the rows and cover to a depth of about 4 inches. 



Planting with a potato planter is more economical and satisfactory 

 than furrowing with a plow and dropping by hand. A man and 

 boy with a team and planter wiU plant an acre quicker and easier 

 than three men with a team and plow. 



Irrigating. — Potato soil should be kept as uniformly moist as 

 possible. If the field is well irrigated before planting and thoroughly 

 harrowed after planting it will not usually be necessary to water 

 again until the sprouts are out of the ground. After the potatoes 

 are up they will need irrigating in most soils about every 10 days 

 until the crop begins to mature, when water should be held off 

 entirely. There can be no set rules as to the frequency of irrigation, 

 since some lands of heavy loam or with a high water table will need 

 less water than others. The fact that the evaporation from an open 



[Cir. 113] 



