April. 1918 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
121 
around this will be built a more 
complete and thorough system of 
inspection. 
The Barberry Menace. 
We have an enemy in our midst 
that must be eliminated, the com- 
mon or tall barberry. 
By one of the strange provi- 
sions of nature the black rust of 
wheat is spread by this plant. 
Plant pathologists and botanists 
have known this for a long time, 
but as Wisconsin has not been 
much of a wheat state of late 
years other pests have seemed of 
more importance. Now that the 
wheat acreage in Wisconsin has 
been more than doubled since 
1916 the barberry comes into 
prominence. Dr. Ball’s circular 
reprinted on another page, tells 
the why and the wherefore. 
A responsibility falls on the 
members of this society that none 
may shirk. We are responsible, 
in a large measure for the plant- 
ing of barberry now let’s turn in 
and destroy it, root and branch. 
We need wheat, every kernel we 
can grow will be needed and even 
a single loaf of bread more for 
our boys in France will be worth 
more than all the barberry bushes 
in the state of Wisconsin. Of 
course we will do it, freely and 
willingly. When the frost is out 
of the ground we will go out in 
the front yard or wherever the 
tall barberry grows and dig it out 
and when the job is done we will 
turn to the East and say, “all 
right, boys, it’s out; what next 
can we do?” 
Gladiolus bulbs may be started 
in the house now and set out when 
the weather is warm. 
Growing Potatoes in Gardens and 
on City Lots. 
By J. G. Milward 
Wisconsin Experiment Station 
It is not advisable to plant po- 
tatoes in gardens of less than 1000 
square feet, as the space is more 
valuable for a succession of green 
crops. In larger gardens plans 
should be made to crowd potatoes 
closer together than is done in 
commercial planting, as in small 
gardens manures and fertilizers 
may be applied heavily and inten- 
sive working of the potatoes may 
be given with hand garden tools. 
Garden Soils for Potatoes. Any 
well drained garden soil in Wis- 
consin will grow potatoes. The 
deep, cool, fertile, well drained, 
sandy loam soils are preferred. 
Sod gardens, if possible, should 
be plowed or spaded in the fall. 
The sod should be well cut up and 
pulverized with a spade or other 
garden tool. It is advisable also 
to mix in a liberal dressing of 
stable manure. Course straw man- 
ure should be finely chopped up as 
spaded into garden. In the spring 
the soil should be well spaded 
again deeply, thoroughly pulveriz- 
ed and raked into a good level seed 
bed. The same intensive work 
should be given if manuring and 
spading is deferred until spring. 
Old garden soils are more likely 
to grow scabby potatoes than new 
land. Ashes or lime in the land 
will increase the danger of scab. 
When potatoes are grown annually 
on the same garden, they should be 
shifted and rotated with other 
crops. 
Commercial Fertilizers. Pre- 
pared fertilizers for potatoes may 
be pm-chased and applied at the 
rate of about 40 to 50 pounds for 
every 1,000 square feet. The fer- 
tilizer is usually spread over the 
rows after the potatoes are planted 
and then well raked in. It is also 
satisfactory to partially cover the 
potatoes with soil, spread the fer- 
tilizer in the furrow and then com- 
pletely cover with soil. The fer- 
tilizer should not come in direct 
contact with the seed tuber. 
Varieties. Early varieties such 
as Early Ohio or Trimuph are 
best adapted to the garden as they 
will ripen for use late in July and 
in August before the main potato 
crop of the state 'is harvested. The 
Irish Cobbler is a round, white, 
early variety about ten days later 
than the Triumph. For general 
adaptability to gardens throughout 
Wisconsin for late variety, the 
Rural New Yorker is recommend- 
ed. For cool, fertile, sandy loam 
soils in the northern half of the 
state, the Green Mountain is 
recommended. 
Cutting Seed Pieces. Small 
potatoes from good fields, planted 
whole are satisfactory. Potatoes, 
however, are commonly cut into 
blocky pieces with at least one good 
strong eye to each seed piece. 
Small potatoes the size of hen’s| 
eggs may be cut lengthwise in 
halves. The best eyes on a seed 
tuber are at the seed or bud end 
and in cutting the tuber it is ad- 
visable to divide this cluster of 
strong eyes. The blocky type of 
seed pieces is preferred to thin, ir- 
regular slices. 
Planting Directions. On good 
fertile gardens potatoes may be 
planted in rows two feet apart 
and the hills one foot apart in the 
row. The garden hoe is commonly 
used in planting. The hills are 
made four inches deep ; the seed 
pieces dropped one piece to each 
hill and promptly covered with 
soil.. A special furrowing hoe or 
