Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1917 — POTATO RAISERS, ATTENTION! [ARTICLE]

POTATO RAISERS, ATTENTION!

It now transpires that while Count von Bernstorff was shedding tears over the agony of parting from his good American friends, his fellow conspirators were as busy as bees in Mexico, getting control of the finances of that unhappy country and patting its munitions plant on a firm haskh A few thoughtful people foresaw some move of the kind, but as often as they opened their mouths in warning they were met with the

parrot-like cry of “jingo”—the last defense of an indefensible position. Now we will pay. the price of our folly. One by one our delusions are shattered. We used to hear the sage advice of the economist tell us to “eat dried, apples for breakfast, drink water for dinner and swell up for supper.” But the Impossibility of any economy in the menu can he seen when we remember that apples r are five cents each. Economy! Fortunately the fellow who coined that word ,is dead, and has no means of knowing what a delusion it is today.

If our forefathers could come back to earth they would want to get right off again. This is no place for them. High prices would bankrupt them 1 , leg shows would blind them, political rottenness would stagger them, and the greed of gold would nauseate them. No, this is no place for our. forefathers, good, honest souls that they were. A few days ago he was czar of Russia; autocrat of all he surveyed. Now he is just plain Nicholas Romanoff, shaking in his boots for fear they will not leave him even his worthless life. In time, perhaps, he may degenerate into “Old Nick,” which, forsooth, might be quite as appropriate as any name he could hear.

The allies say that they have 75,000 men for every mile of front in western Europe. That’s between fourteen and fifteen men for each foot, and looks almost like a crowd. An. Anderson brewery is planning to manufacture soft drinks, thus showing up the liquor- lobbyists who said if the prohibition law was passed the brewery workers would have hard sledding. The botanical gardens of Rio de Janeiro cover 2,000 acres.

Don’t forget to “clean up and paint up,” and while you are about it, stay up. In other words, don’t clean up your place in the spring —giving it the once-over—and then expect it to remain fresh and attractive the rest of your natural life. You can clean up today, and tomorrow there will be something else to pick up. If you leave it, and keep on leaving accumulations from day to day, it is only a question of a few weeks when “that neglected appearance” is in evidence wherever you look. And that, is had for Rensselaer. It is bad for the health and the pocketbooks of the town. It .is bad every way -you look at it. But five minutes a day will change all of this. It will keep your place a bower of neatness and beauty, And it will instill a pride and contentment in your heart that will make you feel, like another person. Try it. , You will feel better, and your place will look even more so.

We note, though, that gome people who get out on the street and bellow the loudest for civic improvement are the ones wh*> could best put in their time cleaning up their own back yards. We do not want to disparage the preaching of civic improvement-—far from it. But we do want to advocate practicing before preaching. The indolent and indifferent man sits in his own rubbish and tells his neighbor what to do, while the energetic and prideful man goes ahead and does it and thinks in his mind what a worthless cuss the constitutionally “tired’’ one is. By the law of human nature you must be one or the other. Which looks best to you? Which Is best for the community?. ~ . -\ One would think that the "wet” congressmen were in bad enough already without even thinking of getting in worse by delaying the organization of congress.

By G. I. Christie (Superintendent of Agricultural, Exj tension Purdue University) Unusual interest is shown by all classes of people in the potato crop to be planted. High prices have emphasized the dependence placed ! upon this article of food and the real shortage in production. Every | effort will be made to plant back yards, vacant lots, as well as larger acreage on the farms with potaj toes. As the time draws near for the | planting of this crop important questions are being asked as to soil fertilizers, seed, methods of cultivation, etc. H. J. Reed of the Purdue horticultural department gives some timely and helpful suggestions: “A good garden soil is satisfactory for potatoes because it is usually the favored spot on . the farm. If potatoes are to be grown in a field a loose loamy soil, preferably new ground which is full of decaying organic matter, should be chosen.

“Ground which has been in clover, cowpeas or alfalfa is well adapted for the crop. Fresh manure should not be used on the land for potatoes because it induces disease. It would be better to follow corn which • had been heavily manured the year previous rather than apply fresh manure to the potato field. “The seed bed for potatoes should be deep and well prepared. It is advisable to double disk a field before plowing and then drag and harrow the ground within twenty-four hours after plowing. "If the soil is dry the roller should be nsed to compact the Soil and the disk and harrow should be used to keep the soil In pure condition and maintain a mulch. "The selection of varieties is important, especially If the crop is to be put on the market.

“Early Ohio will mature from one to three weeks sooner than the Irish Cobbler and can be used to supply the earliest potatoes. “The Irish Cobbler is one of the best varieties for the main crop of early potatoes because it has excellent qualities and cooks fine, and does not core-rot as badly as the Early Ohio. For the late potatoes such varieties as Rural New Yorker, Burbank’s Seedling, Nebraska New Late White and the Raleigh can be used satisfactorily.

“Tests have been made regarding the most satisfactory size to cut seed pieces. The largest yields have been obtained from whole tubers and half tubers, but judging from average results obtained in practical • work, a quarter of a tuber is nearly as profitable. Pieces containing one eye can be used, but the yield will not be nearly as large as it would with quartertuber pieces. Considering the high price of seed potatoes, it will be practical to recommend cutting a medium size potatoes into pieces weighing about an ounce. A good, complete fertilizer containing 1 or 2 per cent of nitrogen, 8 to 10 per cent of phosphoric acid and 3 per cent of potash can be used for the crop. Owing to the fact that potash is very scarce at the present time, fertilizers containing it are very expensive. It may be desirable to use a fertilizer containing 2 per cent nitrogen and 10 per cent phosphoric acid at the rate of 400 pounds per acre. Excellent results can be obtained by using fertilizer made up by mixing twenty pounds of nitrate of soda, fifty pounds of tankage or dried blood and 340 pounds of 16 per cent acid phosphate. <•

“This mixture used on an acre of ground will be a satisfactory application. Three hundred pounds of this can be sown broadcast and 100' pounds in the row. For

smaller or larger plots use fertilizer mixture at tbe same rate. “The date* of planting varies in different parts of the state and with the, season. Plant early potatoes as soon as the ground can be put into good condition in the spring, about the first of April, if possible. The late crop is planted from May 20 to June 10. “Make the rows from twenty-six inches apart and plant a seed piece from twelve to fourteen inches apart in the row. The rows can he opened with a plow and the seed pieces covered with about four inches of dirt. The crop should receive a thorough cultivation about every week-or ten days. If the soil is well drained and loamy, level cultivation can he practiced, “Harrowing should be begun before the potatoes are up and one harrowing may be given after the plants begin to appear. A dust mujeh should be maintained throughout the season. “The potato beetle is the most serious insect affecting the crop and can be controlled by spraying with a solution made by mixing two pounds of powdered arsenate of lead to fifty gallons of water at the time the hugs are hatching.” *

You'll be all the better for It if you send to New. Albany some of the money that you would otherwise spend foolishly. The division made by Mayor Mitcbel of New York of the people© of this country into two classes, "Americans and traitors,” is rather sweeping, but not necessarily inaccurate on that account.