Iht RURAL NEW-YORKER 
359 
Potato Growing, In Northern New York 
I ‘ART II. 
P LANTING.—In planting, a one-row liorse-drawn 
“feed-in-siglit” planter is used, operated by two 
men, which also distributes the fertilizer. With this 
machine we mark out the ground before planting, 
opening the furrow, and at the same time drop half 
of the fertilizer we wish to use. This is a lot easier 
f< r the team, as the planting attachment is entirely 
unhooked, and we believe it to distri¬ 
bute the fertilizer much better, which 
no doubt is so, as the plows on the 
planter pass again through the same 
furrow at the time of planting, thereby 
mixing and pulverizing the soil much 
better. Of course this takes .just twice 
as long to accomplish; yet many grow¬ 
ers of this section practice it and are 
well satisfied. Then when ready to 
plant we only have half of the fer¬ 
tilizer to distribute, which, as I said 
before, is that much easier on the team, 
besides the other advantages. The first 
operation only requires one man. while 
at the time of planting two men are 
needed. 
WORKING THE GROUND.—A day 
or two after planting the ground is 
worked with a peg-tooth harrow, being 
careful not to uncover any seed pieces. 
This loosens the ground between the 
rows, which was packed 'by the wheels 
of the planter. Some use a cultivator 
for that purpose, but a peg-tooth har¬ 
row has the advantage of covering the 
ground completely, even on the ridge 
left by the planter, thereby destroying 
the young weeds which may have 
sprouted by this time. After about a 
week the same ground is gone over 
again in the same manner, and just 
as the potato plants are breaking 
through the ground this operation is 
repeated. After this the weeder is 
used every week or sooner, until the 
potato plants are about 0 to 8 in. high, 
when we cease using that tool. By 
going over the ground as described the 
crop of weeds is checked, so that hoe¬ 
ing by hand is a thing of the past. The 
importance of a clean field should be 
realized at all times, as big yields can¬ 
not be obtained without such a condi¬ 
tion. 
LATER WORKING.—Later on in 
the season the weeds that were not 
killed by the harrow or weeder are 
pulled by hand, nut there will not be 
very much pulling necessary if the 
ground has been prepared as aforesaid. 
If sod was plowed under the crop of 
weeds naturally would be considerably 
heavier. Cultivation is usually done 
with a two-row riding cultivator from 
the time weeding was stopped, as often 
as may be necessary, to preserve the 
moisture and kill the weeds, until the 
plants are in bloom. Some growers go 
right on as long as the plants show life. 
SPRAYING. — Spraying is accom¬ 
plished with traction sprayers of the 
six-row type at a pressure of about 200 
lbs. The reason why we try to keep it 
around that point is that Bordeaux 
mixture atomizes and adheres much 
better to the plants than it would at a 
low pressure. Our Bordeaux mixture 
is of 10-10-100. Other growers use a 
mixture of 8-8-100 or 10-10-100, but 
surer results are guaranteed at a 
stronger solution, yet care must be 
taken not to get it too. strong, as ir 
would burn the foliage. As blight is 
•one of the worst diseases of the potato, it is natur 
ally very important that spraying is done right and 
is as near on time as possible. The spores of this 
disease grow very rapidly, and especially well in 
moist, warm air. and it is just then that spraying 
is most important. If it could bo done^before such a 
P< riod it would benefit it even more. Never wait 
for the blight to appear on tin* leaves, but spray 
before you even see any of the characteristic signs 
of that disease, us it would prove too late in almost 
every case. During the average season we spray 
from six to 10 times. This will seem rather often 
and expensive, which it unquestionably is, but we 
would rather spray even more often than sort a few 
'thousand bushels of blighted and rotten potatoes. 
INSECT REPELLENTS.—As a bug poison arsen¬ 
ate of lead is commonly used. Spraying is begun 
A. Practical Potato Planter at Work. Fig. 168 
Homemade 'Praetor at Work in a Western. Neir York Orchard. Fig. 161) 
elevator nigger is the only thing tor the commercial 
gxower. which is pulled by four good horses when 
used without an engine, and it will be found quite 
hard at that on a warm day. The potatoes are 
picked up in wooden crates which hold about one 
bushel, and are then removed to the storage in these 
same crates, which may then be emptied or stacked 
up one on top of the other as high as 
the room may permit without the least 
danger of bruising or damaging the 
potatoes. This is a very efficient way 
of handling and storing the crop, aside 
from the original expense of purchas¬ 
ing a few thousand wooden crates. But 
unquestionably the crop keeps much 
better when stored in this way. as the 
air circulation is not hindered, as 
would be when stored in piles. Pota¬ 
toes intended for seed especially 
should be stored in that way, as ‘"‘dead” 
air will lessen the vitality of the best 
seed. 
STOREHOUSES.—These are not 
very plentiful in this region, and grow¬ 
ers are sometimes at a loss to store 
their crop, especially when the yield is 
considerably higher than the average. 
Plans of building a community store¬ 
house have been discussed, but nothing 
has been done so far to advance the 
suggestion to facts. Growers here will 
plant from 10 to 40 acres each, and 
the yield is from 130 to 250 bushels 
per acre, while some claim to have 
achieved still higher yields. 
AVERAGE YIELDS.—The yield is 
very much dependent on climatic con¬ 
ditions. but just as much on the plant 
food contained in the soil or being sup¬ 
plied through the use of commercial 
fertilizer. To my mind there is noth¬ 
ing more important than the fertiliza¬ 
tion problem. Better too much fer¬ 
tilizer than not enough, and. of course, 
the right kind. An acid phosphate or 
any combination that lacks the neces¬ 
sary potash would be a great mistake 
on our sandy soil. Potatoes must have 
potash, and our tests have proven that 
by an increase in yield of 7.1 per cent. 
By asking those getting the low yields 
of about 125 to 150 bushels per acre 
one usually finds that they use about 
1.000 lbs. of poor grade fertilizers, 
while those getting the higher yields 
will use up to 2,000 lbs. per acre of a 
high-grade potash mixture. It is a 
great country for the commercial grow¬ 
ing of potatoes, also great to see the 
crops grow, still greater to see the 
spuds roll out behind the digger, but 
very, very unsatisfactory when it 
comes to the selling end. If the low 
price of potatoes keeps up, while the 
prices of supplies, such as fertilizer, 
machinery, etc., stay up, there will be 
a lot of moving done. Very little can 
be said as to this year’s acreage. The 
farmers are not exactly discouraged as 
yet. but do not talk very strongly on 
the subject. j. r. h. 
Kasoag. N. Y. 
A 
A New Potato Digger 
A Potato Digger on Yen' Pines. Fig. lit) 
about tin 1 tone the plants are O in. high, and kept 
up during the entire growing season as long as the 
Vines are green. For tin* first few times the bug 
P< ison is added to the Bordeaux mixture until all 
the bugs seem to have died, while later on Bordeaux 
mixture is used alone. Arsenate of lead is used at 
the rate of 4 lbs. to 100 gals, of water, and will have 
to be repeated later on should the bugs show again 
DIGGING.—When the vines are dead and dry. 
which is about October 1. digging is at hand. An 
NEW potato digger modeled after 
original lines has been devel¬ 
oped in Western New York. The ma¬ 
chine is built almost entirely of metal, 
and simplicity may be said to be its 
keynote throughout. It runs on two 
urge open wheels about 6 in. in diameter and Is in. 
wide. Between the two wheels is a reversible plow. 
By being reversible it allows digging every row in 
older. The open wheels separate out the potatoes 
and the diagonal plates on the inside of the wheel 
carry the potatoes to the outside so that they are 
deposited in the last row that was dug. Owing to the 
mechanical advantage of the two large wheels, 
lightness of the machine and freeness from working 
parts the machine is handled by two horses, a. h. p. 
