Polk County itemizer., May 14, 1914, Page 15, Image 23

15
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
Growing Good Potatoes in the Pacific Northwest
Some Ideas on the Homely “ Spud” by Men Who Know Whereof They Write.
e
<•>
<«>
<i>
$
cessful in eliminating diseases, and re­
duces to a minimum the effect aud ex­
This is the first of a series <$> pense of maintaining the soil fertility.
The soil should be mellow and in good
of articles discussing potato
growing.
$ friable condition to a depth of seven or
«> eight inches juBt previous to planting,
but if fall plowing has been done, it
will seldom be necessary to do more
O. M. MORRIS, Horticulturist; J. O.
than a surface tillage.
<s>
The Joke is On The Editor, Surely
“ A Joke on Pullman” About a Piece of “ Ambergris” Turns Out
No Joke, for “ Ambergris” Was not Ambergris After All.
WEEK or so ago the Home and
“ It thus appears that our judgment
By
Farm Magazine printed an item in the case was correct and I trust that
HALL, Plant Pathologist, and M. A.
Planting Suggestions.
about an examination having been you will give this communication as
YOTHERS, Asst, Entomologist.
For an early crop the planting should made by experts at Pullman, headquar­ much publicity as was afforded “ The
N THE United States as a whole tho be done as soon as the land can be ters of the Washington Agricultural Col­ Joke on Pullman.”
potato crop ranks sixth in value. worked and the potatoes grown without lege, of an alleged piece of ambergris.
ELTON FULMER,
Notwithstanding this fact, we im­ danger of frost. A very common prac­
The officials declared that the find
Head of Department of Chemistry.
ported from foreign countries over 13,- tice is to plant early so that the plants was not ambergris.
000,000 bushels in 1912.
And if we have not eaten ‘1 crow ’ *
will reach the Surface of the soil as
The owner, however, sent a specimen
In view of the latter fact and the danger of frost is past.
to Germany and he was informed it was enough, we shall say right here that the
magnitude of the industry, and also in
“ next tim e” —but there w on’t be any
Very light frosts will sometimes do ambergris.
view of the number of problems con­ no harm to the potatoes and even heav­
This looked like a good joke on the next time— we shall not try and pit our
nected with the industry, it would seem ier ones will only nip back the foilage officials and an item was printed, head­ editorial wit against Pullman wisdow.
that every aid possible should be given without killing the entire plant. How­ ed: “ A JOKE ON PULLM AN.”
to it.
ever, frost usually retards the growth
Since the publication of the item in
Few of our agricultural crops involve and development of the plant, and early question, the Department of Chemistry
more complex problems and call for maturity is seldom gained by extremely experts at Pullman have been upheld
greater exercise of care and judgment, early planting. For the late crop in the by perhaps the leading ambergris ex­
if the crop is to be grown profitably sections having long growing periods, porters in the United States, and they
and kept from from fungous and insect the planting can be done as late as June. have so advised the editor.
pests.
It is usually advisable to plant early
It seems as if the joke were rather
HERE are 2,200,000 miles of public
It is desired to call special attention enough so the plants will have ample on the editor than on Pullman. Per­
roads in the United States, of
to the fact that several serious potato time to mature and die before frost.
haps the joke also is on the owner of
which approximately one-tenth
pests are just entering the state for
If an abundant moisture supply is the “ ambergris.”
have been improved by grinding, drain
the first time. They should be attacked present, the vines may continue to grow
Anyway, here is the little item, that
ing and bard surfacing. The remaining
relentlessly. An ounce of prevention is until frost without regard to the date caused the trouble:
2,000,000 miles cannot be made into
worth a pound of cure.
of planting. In such sections, mid­
such improved highways all at once. At
Soil Conditions Needed.
season and early planting is to be pre­ *
< 8 > a minimum of $5,000 a mile, the total
The potato requires a rich, mellow, ferred. The first killing frosts will <v
A JOKE ON PULLMAN.
<$■ cost would be $10,000,000,000. The com
loam soil for its best development. usually be followed by enough warm <i>
■
♦ mon-sence solution of the problem, which
Splendid crops are frequently grown on weather to allow the potatoes to ripen <i>
Five months ago Leonard Dix- <s> has been suggested, is that the burden
sandy and heavy clay soils. The sandy before there is any necessity for dig­ v on, a young rancher living near <$>
be divided between the National Gov­
loams produce smooth, even potatoes ging.
-•> East Sound, Orcas island, found <$> ernment, the state, county and town­
with bright skin and shallow eyes and
Depth of Planting.
a queer appearing mass in the <3> ship, along logical lines, the Federal
usually mature the crop at an earlier
In light, sandy soils it is advisable <$> water near this place.
He 3> Government to lend its aid and super­
date than the heavier loams.
to plant the potatoes more shallow than 'v thought it might be ambergris, <i> vision to the great interstate and trans­
The heavy loams tend to produce large in heavy soils. Soils that warm slowly
•> so sent a sample to the Wash- <§>
vines of late maturity and tubers of in the spring also usually produce bet­ <S> ington State College at Pullman <§> continental routes that connect princi­
pal cities and state capitals, tho state
rather rough, irregular form, with deep ter crops, if the planting is shallow.
<& for analysis.
It was returned <$• to improve and maintain its main roads
eyes and poor quality. A good humus This varies also with varieties and sys­
<$> with the report that the pro- <$■ linking up the county seats aud extend
content is necessary for the best pro­ tems of tillage and field work. In •• fessors there did not know what •$>
ing to the .state line; the country to
duction. The vegetation in the soil irrigated sections, it is more common to
it was. Some weeks later a mem-
have charge of tributary iparket roads,
should be in an advanced stage of de­ plant shallow than in the- non-irrigated
<i> ber of the Arctic Club, Seattle, <$> and the township to shape up and drag
cay.
sections. Local practice should be taken
who knew of the find, took a •$> the earth roads leading from the farm
Soil that contains a large amount of as the best indication of what should
<s> sample to Germany, and now a <•> to the nearest gravel, sand-clay or other
vegetation just entering the process of be done in each section.
•’ letter has come to Mr. Dixon <v county market road.
decay is not suitable for potato grow­
For large areas, mechanical planters <•> stating that the substance is <$>
The roads that are moat traveled
ing and should be devoted to some are usually to be preferred to band
ambergis and asking for inform-
should be improved first and in the
other crop for one or two years before planting. The stand of plants obtained
•' ation as to the quantity of the
most substantial way. In many states
planting to potatoes. The subsoil may is more uniform because of more regu­
<$> find.
80 to 90 per cent of the total travel is
be heavier than the surface soil, and lar placing of the seed. The work is
<§>
In the meantime Dixon had <& carried by 15 to 20 per cent of the road
sandy or medium loams underlaid with easier and cheaper done by machinery
v
abandoned the idea that it was
mileage, so the largest number of in
clay or even gTavel as another extreme, and the entire field can be planted in
<$> ambergris and used a part of the 3> habitants are benefited by the perrnu
can be made to produce excellent crops. much shorter time. There are two types
substance as skid grease and 3> nent improvement of these main roads.
Drainage is Required.
of mechanical planters in general use, ■$> found it excellent for this pur- ■$>
The farmer who lives a mile from a
The «oil devoted to potato crops called the picker planters and non­
<3> purse. The ambergris is said to <3> main road and five miles from market
should be well drained. The surface picker planters. The picker planter is a
$> be valued at from $16 to $20 an <$> gets more benefit from the improve-
should have slope enough to admit of complete machine within itself and
•> ounce, making it highly expen- ■$> ment^of the main road than he would
good surface drainage so that the water picks out of a hopper each individual
!* sive as skid grease.
<$>
from the improvement o f the road past
will never stand in pools or fail to run piece and drops one piece at a time.
The ambergris was found o ff ■$> his door.
o ff in case of excessive rainfall. The The non picker planter depends upon a
@> what is known as Agate Beach, <$>
subsoil should be of such a character man for placing the piece of potato in
The Shackleford post road bill in Con­
r»
a favorite place for summer <$■
gress can accomplish great good if en
that gives good drainage, or tile drains a plate or chute, from which it is drop­
visitors on Orcas Island, and is <$■
acted, after being amended so that the
should be used and well distributed ped by mechanical means into the fur­
<$> supposed to have been washed •$> federal appropriations will go .to the
so that any excessive moisture will be row below. The non-picker type does
<8> in from the Gulf of Georgia.
<&
state highway commissions of the vari­
carried away.
not bruise or mangle the seed, but it
♦ ous states, instead of being parceled out
Potatoes can not be grown satisfac­ requires an additional man to do the ♦
in insignificant amounts to local road
torily in soil that contains an excess work and is liable to give an uneven
And here is a letter the editor re­
of moisture.
stand unless the man at the hopper ceived from Professor Elton Fulmer, authorities in congressional districts.
Expenditures of Government funds upon
Land that is especially subject to late is very quick and accurate in his work.
head of the Department of Chemistry the interstate routes will relieve the
spring or early fall frosts is not well
at
Pullman
and
State
Chemist
of
the
state and counties of this burden, so
adapted to potato culture, ' i n vines
State of Washington:
that they can devote their funds to the
are frost tender and must make a g.md
“ Sometime ago there appeared in shorter market roads and tributaries.
growth in the spring before the hot
your publication a brief article headed,
summer weather comes on.
‘A Joke on Pullman.’ The statement in
They endure cool nights well, but for
The Michigan State Suffrage Aasocia
this article that we bad examined a tion has indorsed a state system of re
the beat development should have a
sample of the material and pronounced tirement salaries for teachers.
great deal of sunshine.
They are
especially subject to disease during
HE custom of seeding freshly clear­ it not to be ambergris was a correct
In rural schools in Missouri, girls are
cloudy, moist weather.
ed stump land to pasture has not one.
“ Upon reading in the above mention organized into “ pick and shovel clubs”
been very widely practiced in
Preparing the Land.
under the auspices of the. National Con
The land should be cultivated until many parts of the country. However, ed article that a sample of the above gress of Mothers.
it is mellow and of a rather open or the plan is gaining foothold rapidly. The substance bad been taken to Germany
porous character. This condition can method used is to pulverize the ground and there pronounced to be ambergris,
The most popular feminine Christian
best be obtained by rotating the potato quite thoroughly with the disk if the we sent the sample upon which we name is France is Mary.
crop with other field crops. Land can ground is not too turfy, the breaking had passed judgment to the Fries Broth
be used for potatoes for two years suc­ plow if it is, and sow about half bushel era of New York City, who in turn sub­
Miss Fern Hobbs, private secretary to
cessfully, but it is ordinarily the beet of rye, two pounds of rape seed, three mitted it to a firm of exporters and Governor West, of Oregon, is being
importers
of
musk,
ambergris,
and
simi
pounds
of
timothy,
three
pounds
of
red
plan to devote the land to some other
mentioned as a candidate for the gov­
top, two pounds of alsike and four lar substanees, namely: The George ernorship.
crop the third year.
pounds of elover to the nere. The rye Lenders A Company. They are undoubt­
For the third year of this rotation
is sown first so as to get it thoroughly edly qualified to pass upon such mater
London society women have adopted
some crop should be chosen that will
covered by the disking, then harrow lain as ambergris.
the new fad set by Mrs. Abdey, of York
turn into the soil n large amount of
the ground down smoothly and sow the
“ We have just received a eommum Place, Marylebone, and are havi^f
vegetation. The old potato growing
grass seed and the /ape and re harrow. cation from them, from which I quote their backs photographed—a la nature,
sections of the United States have found
It will make an excellent hog pasture you as follows:
as it were.
it greatly to their advantage to use a
and develop into a permanent stand of
“ ‘ While we cannot say what the ma­
four or five year rotation, growing
grass for future years.
terial submitted may be we ean state
clover, alfnlfa, field peas, or some simi
The proportions of the seed could be positively that it is not ambergris. It
lar crop on the land for one or two
years, and turning under a large amount varied according to conditions of the | ha* not the appearance of ambergris.
Half-tones Ehhings Art Work
of vegetation, and then devoting the land, as red top and aalike elover are nor the character of ambergris, nor the
------ p p o m p r s f R V / c e --------
land to some cnltivated crop for one better adapted to wet land than are characteristics, much less the scent. We
|
will
also
add
that
ambergris
to
our
the
timothy
and
red
elover.
The
rye
ALL W O RN G U A R A N T E E D
year and then to potatoes for one or
knowledge
has
not
been
found
on
the
and rape will furnish pasture until the
5* T
1 R
T E N G R A V IN G C O
two year*.
IM » S BLDG • W AT T LE
I
Pacific
Coast
’
.
This process is one of the most sue other grasses are securely rooted.
A
J
Billion Needed To
Improve Roads
T
Seeding Stump Grass
To Pasture
T
Guts*
I
Print*