Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 127, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1917 — POTATO FACTS FOR 1917 [ARTICLE]

POTATO FACTS FOR 1917

Present „unusual high prices for potatoes will lead to the planting of fields to this crop that have never grown them and perhaps where they are wholly unsuited. A suitable well prepared seed bed, an abundance of available plantfood, strong clean seed, shallow cultivation, and spraying are the five cardinal principles necessary for a potato crop. Last year a number of potato men of Van Buren county, Michigan, grew approximately 200 bushels to the a?re by paying attention to the above factors while the slate average was less than one-half this. A rich well-drained sandy loam, well supplied with humus and properly balanced plantfood, is the best potato soil. However, it Is possible to grow profitable crops of potatoes on heavier soils if they are first brought to a high stage of fertility and are made friable by the use of organic matter. Since this cannot be done this year growers must make the best use possible of rotted manure supplemented by fertilizers. Intensive methods make it possible to grow crops yielding from 250 to 400 bushels per acre and to decrease the cost of raising each bushel. The big expense In potato-growing comes in the preparation of the land and the attention given the crop throughout the pare ground, cultivate, and spray a 300-bushel crop than It does a 150bushel crop. Harvesting will cost more, but the big overhead expenses are practically the same. Obviously the thing to do is to Insure larger yields by abundance of available plantfood that will give the erop a good start and force it to early maturity. Potatoes Lazy Feeders. Potatoes are short rooted and comparatively lazy feeders. They do not . reach out far for their food. Consequently plenty of well rotted manure and commercial fertilizers should be thoroughly worked into the soil so the plants will have plenty of plantfood near at hand all through the growing period. This is the practice of the successful potato growers ©f Van Buren county, Michigan. Since prospects for a fairly remunerative price for potatoes is so bright, in many instances, it will pay this year to side dress the growing crop once or twice during cultivation with fertilizers, especially if the ground is not ideally rich potato land. ' - The »otato takes up a fairly large amount of nitrogen, a moderate amount of phosphoric add and a large supply of potash; hence, a fertilizer supplying 8 to 5 per cent ammonia 3 to 8 per cent phosphoric acid and under normal conditions 5 to 8 per cent potash Is about right for loam soils. On snndy soils use more ammonia, on clay use more phosphoric acid and less potash, and on muck use 1 per cent of ammonia, 10 to 12 per cent phosphoric acid, and 8 to 10 per cent potash when the latter can be obtained. If you cannot get all the potash recommended or desired in the fertilizers this year use it anyway as good results have been secured where a low analysis of potash was used. Methods of Application. At least one-half of the ammonia of the complete fertilizer ussd should be in quickly available form In order to give the younfe potatoes an early, vigorous start. The other half should be In more slowly available form so us to furnish a continuous supply as it is heeded by the growing crop. The phosphoric acid should be readily available so that when the time comes for the setting and filling of the potatoes, there may be as large a number of potatoes as possible, and the potatoes may ripen uniformly. In applying the fertilizer, it has been found that quantities varying from 800 to 1,800 pounds per acre have given excellent results. In Maine, where about 25,000,000 bushels are produced annually the application of fertilizer on the good soil of that state varies from 1,000 to 2,400 pounds per acre. Apply fertilizer in the row up to the capacity of the fertilizer attachment of the planter. Any amount in excess of this should be drilled in with a wheat drill before planting, or applied with a lime and fertilizer distributor and well mixed with the soil. This distributes the plantfood throughout the soil where the flhy pbtato roots may find it early in their growth. The tubers form on separate roots which cluster under the plant, while the feeding roots stretch ,off Into the soil In search of available plantfood. Contrary to common belief, the general distribution of fertilizer between the rowsjof potatoes does not tend to spread the growing tubers, but tends to provide a better distribution of food for the growing plants. All seed potatoes planted this year should be treated with formalin or corrosive sublimate to free them from disease. It costs but a few cents per acre to"do thls-as well as to spray for potato bugs, beetles, blight, etc., which attacks the growing plants. If any one of the five factor* necessary to the growing of potatoes are neglected the crop will not be as large nor the profits as high as they should be. Good seed well planted in a rich well fertilized soil and the crop properly cultivated and sprayed will mean big crops next summer and fall.—Henry G. Bell.