11
Growing Good Potatoes in the Pacific Northwest
Some Ideas on the Homely "Spud" by Men Who Know Whereof They Write.
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION"
B.vk irsci by Colorado growers
4Q $ -
i This is the second of B scries of $
articles discussing iiotuto grow- '
ing. $
.
4 ?$' $
Ey 0. M. MORBIS, Horticulturist; J. G.
HALL, Plant Pathologist, and M, A.
YGTKEU3, Asst. Entomologist
THEHE are few agricultural crops
grown that are cnpable of greater
increase in the average, yields than
the potato. The plant is grown as an
annual, but is reproduced from a eut
ting of the tuber, which is an under
ground stem.
. The young plants draw their nourish
ment from the piece of potato used as
seed and arc strong or weak in propor
tion to the nourishment obtained.
Small seed pieces produce small
plants. Small potatoes used' whole as
seed have only a small amonnt of food
for the young plants.
The general characteristics of the en
tire plant are more definitely repro
duced in propagation than the special
character of the small piece of the plant
used as the means of reproduction.
Most Desirable Plant.
The plant that produces a large num
ber of small potatoes is not suitable for
the general crop and should not be
propagated from. TI10 most desirable
plnnt is the one that produces a fair
number of good, well-developed, med
ium to large potatoes of uniform size.
The general characteristics of this de
sirable plant will be reproduced in the
plants grown irom its potatoes, if they
are grown under Bimilar soil aud cli
matic conditions.
This fundamental principle is the
basis of the fact that the best results
aro obtained hi growing potatoes if the
hill is used as the unit of selection in
stead of the single potato. Tho selection
of seed potatoes from the bin, pile or
sack is not satisfactory becanse the
good individual potatoes selected may
be from a hill that produced very few
potatoes or from one that produced only
HOMO'S IfimV CROP, IMPORTANT FOOD PLANTS
(Avert for f Year, 190-1910. )
Crop Ten.
wm
Pottp 154,000,000 L
iConi 113, 000, 000 r
irhat ,107,000,000g
Oat. ,67,000,000
ftic 7, 000, 000
for cutting seed potatoes.
one or two good potatoes and a large
number of small ones. The use of small
potatoes that are sorted oufas cul'ls has
the same objection and generally pro
duces plants that produce a large num
ber of small potatoes.
Some of the most successful large
growers in the ltoeky Mountain states
select their seed very carefully and
plant special seed patches, la these
patches the rows are about 3li inches
apart and the hills about six to eight
inches apart in the row. Planted this
close the plants do not produce large
potatoes, but a great many. The small
to medium sized ones are used as seed
and are planted whole.
Running Out "
When a variety becomes less vigors
ous, less productive, or the potatoes be
come of lesB desirable form, we say that
the variety has "run out."
This change of character is nearly al
ways due to come less favorable soil, or
climatic conditions, or to poor selection
of seed.
In some localities it is cheaper to im
port seed from other districts than to
give the extra care and attention neces
sary in cultivation and seed selection to
maintain the standard of the variety.
These localities are exceptional and the
growers in most regions should endeavor
to improve their crops rather than let
them "run out" aud coustautly ship in
fresh Beed.
Varieties.
In the State of Washington tho local
conditions vary so greatly that best
varieties for any region can be de
termined only by actual trial. A little
inquiry among the local growers will
enable the planter to decide on the best
variety for his use. The Burbank is
planted more widely in this Btatc than
any other variety. It is the leading
variety in tho irrigated regions, the up
lands enst of the Cascade Mountains
and is the main crop variety in several
localities in Western Washington.
Of tho diseases of the potato that oc
cur iu this country five aro known to
cause damage in this state. These five
are "Late Blight," "Khizocetonia,"
-4
Scab," "Dry Eot," and "Black
Leg." In some regions of the irrigated
sections of the state "Dry Hot" and
"Black Leg" are reported as doing as
much as forty per cent damage to the
crop.
This disease is more prevalent west of
the Cascade Mountains, where the
climate is favorable for its develop
ment, than in the eastern part of the
state. The disease appears on any part
of the leaf, but usually the spots show
first near the tip or margin. This may
be due to the fact that the surface wa
ter does not evaporate so rapidly from
these points. These diseased areas soon
die and turn brown and if the weather
conditions are favorable finally become
black. This discoloration is often ac
companied by the crumpling of the
leaves. The diseased leaves finally un
dergo a total deeay, which often has an
offensive and characteristic odor.
Tubers Infection Source.
Upon the lower side of the leaves the
spots arc seen to be covered with a very
delicate whitish gray downy coat,
caused by the fungus (Phytophthera in-
festans (Mont. DeBy). From thiB
downy coat are produced the spores
which, under favorable circumstances,
cause new SKts upon the potato leaves.
Besides the leaves the disease also
attacks the steins, causing them to de
cay. The disease causes sunken, dark
colored areas upon the surface of the
tubers themselves (Fig. 2), while the
normal white of the inside becomes a
dirty brown. The disease in dry weath
er causes a dry rot of the tuber and in
wet weather a wet rot. This disease
continues to live in the tubers in stor
age, producing a rot and so causes a
large loss. The signs given above are
the usual ones to attract attention in
the first place, but the disease really
commences as soon as the sprouts start
from infected seed. Such shoots do not
develop normally, but remain dwarfed,
take on a brownish color, aud when suit
able weather conditions prevail fur
nish the spores that, cause a general
epidemic of the disease.
The Now York Experiment Station
at Geneva has conducted experiments,
the results of which go to prove the
statements that the tubers .are the main,
if not the only, source of early infec
ion of the plants in the field.
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