The Garden Magazine, February, 1921 
11 
SOME POPULAR POTATO TYPES 
Top row (left to right): Triumph, extra-early, red-skinned, but not so prolific 
as Early Ohio and Irish Cobbler which, a trifle later, are among the best earlies 
Lower row (left to right) : Typical of the “ Rural” group particularly suited to gardens liable to drought and 
frequent periods of high temperature. Green Mountain does well in cool, moist soils having plenty of plant 
foods and organic matter 
are wanted, a row or two of Triumph will give edible potatoes 
a week or ten days before Irish Cobbler or Early Ohio. 
After having located the potatoes for seed, and while waiting 
for winter to pass, it is well to select the place for the potato 
patch. A rich, loose, sandy loam will give best results. It 
should be full of organic matter. To make sure of this, if 
possible, cover it during the winter with well rotted manure to a 
depth of two or three inches and plow or spade early in the 
spring, later thoroughly mixing up the soil and manure and 
working the soil just previous to planting to a depth of about 
eight inches. Thorough pulverizing of the soil will afford a 
loose plant bed, unlock the necessary plant food, and help to re- 
tain an abundance of moisture so necessary for big yields. 
F OR early potatoes the earlier they can be planted the better, 
while the late ones can be planted from May until July, 
depending on the locality. When the tubers are dormant, 
preferably at least a month before planting, treat them for 
scab and other disease carried on the outside of the tubers. 
This consists in immersing the tubers in a solution of corrosive 
sublimate for an hour and a half, but no longer. Place the 
potatoes to be treated in a wooden barrel or other container and 
cover with the poison solution. The amount needed will vary 
with the quantity of potatoes to be treated, but an ounce of 
corrosive sublimate powder dissolved first in a quart of boiling 
water and then added to seven and one half gallons of water will 
be sufficient to treat a couple of bushels. 
After soaking the tubers for an hour and a half take out and 
spread them out to dry. Potatoes so treated should never be 
eaten or used for stock food. 
After treating, place them in a cool place and about three or 
four weeks before planting time spread them out on the floor 
of a room or crib where they will be exposed to the light each 
day. Of course they must not be allowed to freeze. In a short 
time the vigorous tubers will produce tough green sprouts which 
will grow about a quarter of an inch long and then cease growing. 
Tubers which produce fine spindling sprouts or none at all should 
be discarded. Green-sprouting potatoes in this manner will 
make early potatoes mature ten days earlier and give a more 
uniform vigorous stand. For late potatoes remove from 
storage and spread out in the light where they first begin to show 
signs of sprouting. 
In cutting, the slice under the stem end should be cut off first, 
cutting about one half inch deep. Then examine the cut sur- 
face, if it is white it may be used for seed, but if it has dark spots 
in it, about a quarter inch under ,the skin, discard; for this is an 
