HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
15
Growing Good Potatoes in the Pacific Northwest
1 Borne Idwa on the Bomely "Spud" by Man "Who Know "Whereof They Write.
Capital Thotograph of the Beet Type of Baking Potato, liaised Near Kennewlck, Washington. Note the Even 8iie Common to all These Potato
ere gather op the potatoes from the
ground. ,
The potatoes should not be allowed to
lie on the surface of the soil for more
than a few hours. Those that are dug
series
potato
4, $
This is the first of a
& of articles discussing
3 growiog.
i
J$e'giJ$'$$'?v
BT D.M.'MOEEIS, Horticulturist; J. G.
HALL, Plant Pathologist, and M. A.
TOTHEES, Asst. Entomologist.
PHE sine of the seed piece of potato
'm planted seems to have a direct in
fluence over the crop of potatoes
produced. This fact is founded ou the
fundamental principle that .the large
seed piece or whole potato produces
larger nnd wronger vines than the ex
tremely small f Mato or umall piece of
potato. Another point that some time
has its influence is the fact that the
eyes located nearest the bud end of
the potato usually sprout earliest and
are more active in their early develop
ment of plants than the eyes located
nearer the stem end. In planting whole
potatoes, it is commonly observed that
only one or two eyes at the bud end
produce Sprouts, except in the case 0
extremely large tubers, nnd that It does
not tend to iirodnee too many plants in
a hill, es is sometimes thought.
The Colorado Experimeat Station
found actual trial that seed pieces of
potato or whole potatoes weighing less
than two ounces produced Smaller and
weaker plants and a lighter crop than
seed piees -CT whole potatoes weighing
two ounces or more; that when the piece
of seed potato weighed far in excesex of
two ounces there was very little gained
in vigor of plants or crop produced.
Considering the value of .the seed, a
two-ounce piece or whole potato gave
approximately the maximum returns for
the money invested in seed. This has
been found true in field crop work and
Is now generally accepted by many
erowera in different sections of the
eountry. Some prefer to plant the en
tiro tuber and never use cut seed. There
' appears to be some foundation for faith
in this svstem. However, it floes not
prove to be equally well Hided in dif
ferent locnlitie. In localities where the
luil condition is such that the seed po
tato decays rapidly the whole potato
is better ror planting, but in cases
where the pieccB of seed potato do not
decay rapidly, the advantage is not so
apparent.
Medium Potatoes Best.
In cutting potatoes for seed, the
medium sized ones are ordinarily to be
preferred. Split the potato lengthwise
and if further cutting is desired, cut
crosswise, but do not cut to a single
eve, unless potato seed is very scarce
or the tubers used are extremely large.
Mechanieal ' cutters, are seldom satis
factory, because they do not drscnmi
nate or select sizes. Neither do they
avoid cutting directly through the eyes
of the potato.
The thickness of planting varies e
eording to locality and fertility of the
oil. The general distance between
rows is from 36 to 40 inches and the dis
tance between plants Or hills in the
row'Varles from 12 to IS inches. Early
potatoes of small size cuu be planted
jnore thickly than the large late growing
varieties.
Cultivation,
In the non-irrigated sections, clean,
ihnllbw, level tillngo should be given
Until the new potatoes begin to form,
but from this time until the cultivation
Is discontinued a slight ridge should be
thrown over the row . The land be
tween the rows should be kept nearly
level. -
This ridge of soil will protect the
potatoes from sunburn. Some varieties
produce the tubers very close to the
surface, or so near the surface that
after a time the ends of tho potatoes
rnav extend above thesuiface. . The
principle thing to be accomplished by
tilage is to keep down weeds asd con-i
serve Boil moisture.
If a crop of clover or some other vege
tation has been turned under it may be
found advisable to till deep curly, but
as soon as the roots of the plants begin
to extend out into the space between
the rows the cultivation must be more
shallow or serious harm will be done
to the plants. Cutting the roots of
tho plants by the lapt tillage will greatly
reduce the possibilities ot the crop.
The tillage should be continued as
long as possible without direct "harm to
the plants. Frequent shallow tillage
will maintain the best supply of mois
ture and help to produce a crop of
smooth, even potatoes.
In Irrigated Sections. .
In irrigated sections a little differ
ent system of tillage is necessary. The
systems 'snited to localities differ more
than in non-irrigated regions. The po
tato crop is more frequently planted on
land than lias had a clover or alfalfa
eod turned under. In this ease it is
usually necessary to cultivate very deep
as soon as the planting is done. The
harrow can be used to great advantage
to keep down weeds and to drag to the
surface and break up any sods, that may
be lifted by the cultivator. The first
cultivation is often given immediately
after plantiyg and tho land should then
be harrowed thoroughly and as soon as
the plants are tall enough for the rows
to' bo easily followed, shallow tillage
should be continued. The soil should be
gradually thrown in a ridge over the
row". This facilities irrigation and pro
duces the covering necessary for the
protection of the potatoes. Deep tillage
is sure to be injurious to the plants and
it is, for that reason, always a good
practice to ridge the land early.
Mulching.
Small fields or garden patches in non
irrigated sections can often bo mulched
with straw or marsh hay with good re
sults. The mulch" should be applied just be
fore the potato sprouts appear above
ground. Four to eight inches of loose
material may be used.
The plants will grow up through this
without trouble,, and a good mulch will
conserve moro moistnre than any ordi
nary system of tillage This practice
should be resorted to only in sections
where the moisture supply is difficult
to maintain.
The mulch material should be free
from seed or anothei crop will be plant
ed and result in more barm than good.
Mulching requires a good deal of time
and material and is not practical in
large fields. 4
Harvesting.
In large fields tho machine diggers
should be used in harvesting tho crop.
It is cheaper than hand digging or
plowing out with an ordinary turning
plow, ISnnrt digging is especially ex
pensive, and careless diggers cut and
iuiure a (treat many potatoes.
Plowing out tho crop is wasteful, as a
large per con tof tho crop is left in the
ground.
The crop should be dug, if possible,
while the eoil is drying in order to se
cure the potato clean and free from
earth. Breaking the . skin, cutting or
bruising the potato in any way reduces
ts market value and ttorage quality.
Careful work will reduce this loss to
less than one per cent; and there is
seldom any justification for the methods
of harvesting that reduee it above five
per cent. The pickers should follow elose
after the diggers and it usually pays
to have the sorting done as the pick-
in late summer or early fall should be
gathered up immediately and sacked
and hauled to sheds or warehouses.
Bright sunshine will cause them, to
turn green and sunburn, which injures
their market value.
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