THE NEw PoTATo CULTURE 1a NO CARMAN Chk “LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Sy en8 92 4 MF i hes) THE NeW POTATO SU PURE As developed by the Trench System, by the judicious use of Chemical Fertilizers, and by the Experiments carried on at the Rural Grounds during the past mifteen years. ae is 1 Editor of THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, Originator of the Trench System and ce ELBERT S. CARMAN, of the Potato “Rural New-Yorker No. 2.” COPYRIGH7 *, : APR 6 189; ’) / ,,¢L644 /W THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, TIMES BUILDING, NEW YORK. sty Ties : - /* wed f } ; : x ba ‘ 5 ‘ i x a r { ’ : ght’ a 4 } i , s “ , ot 4 Wha ’ ‘i e i” t ar y ' \ ‘ . s . r i ’ sa ’ , . { ; ' ' / x ‘ hay : % : \ _ .Copytight- - 400 4 103 ING), ZAR NGHADI REND RONG ona G cla cicap an were or —— 2 97 IND. Gp. Sullloaneven jer ooo ssnomsaacsaaces 300 2 95 - LO Poet aE The New Potato Culture. Pounds Vine Growth Yteld Fertilizer. applied May 27, bushels per acre. Tomaximum. per acre. 6). Plasterers once ioteincisss ae eae yor 400 I go Se ge Naturalisoilin 3 viap-y re et eek sier loa —-- 2 68 he NHERATE LOE SSO Canna rae. ar-rar- oteen cine s 200 } is ae ’ UDissolved bone-black .............. 400 J g. Farm manure, two yearsold........ 20,000 4 147 \-Nitrate'o— soda. one. rei: Santas a's 200 ) . Be “USulphate o£ potash .c.taamcc den os. 300 J > 3 \Dissolved pone-black rar. mrta- eran 400 } 81 Sulphate of potash’ seas... eee ee oo J p Pp 3 Nitrate of ssodarrien-..ceanctvere visteletalcters ue) L25DISSOlVedEbONe- lak see meter) -acter 400 ¢ 3 84 Sulphaterot potashascr mt earner 300 This plot was affected by the roots of a tree. onze, TREMP DOG. Gwe neinieecadeosodoas boon” T,000 4 77 . 14. Farm manure, two years old........ 20,000 4 100 we THe INA EU MAL SOlll%) sees oketeke sie motes levee wate oa I 59 eee OT TO, SHlenvmanine ss. (o Aate nome con ane 1,440 4 81 oe ee C75 Mapes spotatomma nite. prio terre 800 9 176 EE ES TS 18. Farm manure, two years old........ 20,009 6 169 LE a ET 710.- Mapesapotatommanune ni: =) rller 1,200 9 273 Ee ee ee Acid phosphatensans seach ctr ake 700 20.74 NitnaterOLsso Gale osm ae pee wees 200 6 156 Mutiate of potash: 4.7\5..,a-cni oe ser 120 Experiments with Different Fertilizers. 55 Pounds Vine Growth Yield Plots. Fertilizer. applied May 27, bushels per acre. Iomaximum. per acre. NOM AT. BEACIGH MOSDMALe sc rcmtactas cpuite a rajcls oie 700 3 110 rr iis oy i pirate GSO an. Sen ere ty clean sqoNe die 210 } 3 139 AMiumiaites Glmpotasheiis sexe. ns << x. we’ 120 ) NOmeste GEOUNG LSM mista... eld araectes yes a = 400 j 124 No. 24. Mapes’ potato manure.............. I, 200 8 323 The seed pieces mulched with old straw, Rural trench mulch system. No. 25. Natural soil Se dee age et aeRO 2 59 OE ee INfOF 2 OMEMELenitmianitime! stew seach. sacl cates om cateeie 2,880 7 147 OR a SS ( ESL OO tre Seen oe revel cereiete aici, a aoholp hier INGre2 7a IN IEMALGHOLSSOGA es ok cree Stee mt aieve 6 e4s ae ty tele) 8 183 Sulphate of ammonia............ RAD a ET No. 28. Mapes’ potato manure, 1,200 lbs., with the following nitrogen mixture added : LEA G66 le « est since gems eee Ree a ORION OS | INMERAteoreSOG alae secs se) te of soda will effect the one in a very few days, but as both Experiments with Different Fertilizers. 63 potash and phosphoric acid form insoluble compounds with the soil, they are much more slowly taken up by plants. ‘*We always, however, obtain a larger crop of potatoes where we apply the mineral manures alone, than where we apply the nitrogen without the minerals, though in the next field, salts of ammonia, ap- plied without minerals for 39 years in succession, have grown larger crops of wheat over the whole period than mineral manures with- out ammonia. To explain this apparent inconsistency we must con- sider the great difference in character of the two crops. ‘‘Wheat in England is sown in the autumn, and being a deep- rooted plant, it has a greater range of soil to obtain a supply of min- eral food than the spring-sown potato. The relation between the potash and the phosphoric acid and nitrogen in the two crops is also very different. In the wheat crops grown by salts of ammonia alone, mixed samples, taken over a period of 10 years, give the products per acre of the total crop-—straw and grain—as follows: nitrogen, 36 pounds ; potash, 23 pounds; phosphoric acid, 13 pounds. The rela- tion, therefore, between these two important minerals and nitrogen is aS SL tO 1. ‘*In the potato crop, on the other hand, the proportion of nitrogen to the minerals is nearly 1 of nitrogen to 3 of minerals, the demand upon the soil for potash being much greater in the case of potatoes than where wheat or barley is grown. It must be a very large wheat crop indeed which removes 50 pounds of nitrogen from the soil, but in some of our potato crops we carry off more than 100 pounds of that substance per acre. ‘¢ As very few soils could furnish so large an amount as this from their own resources, when potatoes are continuously grown, it becomes necessary to furnish a supply of potash either in dung or chemical ‘salts. The following table gives the products of the crop grown in 1883, being the ninth in succession without any change in the manures. TABLE. Potatoes per acre : in long ton. Cwt. is RUZ IANS ING) OIE. (GHG n Sct toe, Ging a aR ene ee 6 2. Minerals without nitrogen. ...........-.. 5 3. Nitrogen without minerals..:............. 3 3 eee Minerals an diamm Oma ie. .j-2)s afoe as = Stole) 19 Be vinneralsanideniltmatess crs ia svarsveis svtesae ste: 8 2 64 The New Potato Culture. Amount of mineral matter and nitrogen per cent. in dry tubers. Mineral matter. Nitrogen. ol ahsve at Seuratsiet ee yesens. Gye Lebo eRe aeRO B55 1.09 SPERM IS OLD CSA SOUS Ce Bic 3.86 0.73 Bicialions a/c (oeserapeteters Cote archi atle eee 2.64 1.47 Ata Pats aWonaterst oy sass) st Talia eevee keh ce a ae 3 67 1.08 tro ORO Ob orion © 6 Snowe B Tmo Stele Sy ‘*The character of the manure is most clearly shown in the compo- sition of the crop. In No. 2, manured with minerals, the minerals are more than five times as high as the nitrogen; while in No. 3, where ammonia or nitrates are used, the minerals are considerably less than double the amount of nitrogen. In both cases there is a waste of power, shown by small crops, and unused manures. The loss, however, is not equal in both cases, as the minerals remain in the soil, to be taken up at some future time, while the nitrogen is probably lost.”’ RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS AT ROTHAMSTED (ENGLAND) ON THE GROWTH OF POTATOES FOR TWELVE YEARS IN SUCCESSION ON THE SAME LAND. Dr. J. H. Gilbert, Dr. Lawes’s associate, in a lecture before the Royal Agricultural College speaks at considerable length on the above subject. His special object was to show the general requirements of the crop, both actually and as compared with other crops, and the actual and comparative characters and composition of the product obtained. He draws his illustrations mainly from the resuits of field experi- ments on the growth of the potato by different manures, for a num- ber of years in succession on the same land, at Rothamsted, and from those of collateral investigations into the composition of the produce, made in the Rothamsted laboratory. The average produce over twelve years without manure is not quite two tons per acre; and there was considerable decline from period to period under this exhausting treatment. Nevertheless this low yield without manure for twelve years in succession on the same land, is about as much as the average produce under ordinary cultivation Experiments with Different Fertilizers. 65 in the United States, and nearly two-thirds as much as in some im- portant European countries. By superphosphate of lime alone, the produce is raised from an average of scarcely two, to nearly 33 tons; that is, to very little more than by the superphosphates alone. It is evident, therefore, that up to this amount of production, the character of the exhaustion induced by the growth of the crop on this land, which was, agriculturally speaking, in a somewhat exhausted condition, was much more that of available phosphoric acid than of potash, or the other bases. It is remarkable that there is much less increase of produce of potatoes by nitrogenous manures than by mineral manures alone. Thus, by ammonium salts alone there is an average produce of scarcely two tons six cwts., or only about six cwts. more than with- out manure ; and with nitrate of soda alone there is an average of only two tons 12% cwt. per acre. The better result by nitrate of soda than by ammonium salts is doubtless due to the nitrogenous supply being more immediately available, and more rapidly dis- tributed witbin the soil, and so inducing a more extended develop- ment of the feeding root. These negative results by the nitrogenous manures alone, confirm the conclusion that by the continuous growth of the crop on this land it was the valuable supply of mineral constituents within the root range of the plants, more than that of nitrogen, that became deficient. The last two lines of the table show that, with the mixed mineral manure and ammonium salts together, there was an average of about six tons 14% cwts., and with the mixed mineral manure and the same amount of nitrogen as nitrate of soda, an average of six tons 13 cwt.; that is, nearly twice as much as with the mineral manure alone, and much more than twice as much as with the nitrogenous manure alone. The fact is, that it is only the comparatively small proportion of the nitrogen of farm-yard manure, which is due to the liquid dejec- tions of the animals, that is in a readily and rapidly available condi- tion; whilst that due to more or less digested matter passing in the feeces, is more slowly available, and that in the latter remains a long time inactive. Hence, the addition of nitrogen as nitrate of soda to the farm yard manure had a very marked effect. P.- 5 66 The New-FPotato Culture. The summary shows that the proportion of diseased tubers was the greater, the greater the amount of nitrogen supplied. Upon the whole, it is obvious that in the case of this somewhat agriculturally exhausted arable land, mineral manures alone had more effect than nitrogenous manures alone ; but that, mineral con- stituents being adequately supplied, the further addition of nitroge- nous manures was essential to obtain anything like full crops. It is of interest to observe that the amount of disease was not en- hanced by the continuous growth of the crop on the same land, as is frequently assumed to be the case. But little is definitely known of the special function of individual mineral constituents in vegetation. It is, however, pretty clearly es- tablished that the presence of potash is essential for the formation of the chief non-nitrogenous matters—starch and sugar. The pub- lished results of experiments at Rothamsted have shown that the proportion of potash in the ash of wheat was the greater, the better matured the grain—that is, the larger proportion of starch it con- tained; and here in the potato we find a greatly increased amount of potash in the heaviest crops, that is to say, in those in which the largest amounts of starch have been formed. The accumulation of phosphoric acid, on the other hand, is more directly connected with the assimilation of nitrogen and the forma- tion of the nitrogenous compound. It will be remembered that the quantity of farm-yard manure an- nually applied per acre was estimated to contain about 200 pounds of nitrogen, besides a very large amount of mineral constituents. Yet, in no case was the increased yield of solid substance in the crop so great as was obtained by an artificial mixture of mineral and nitro- . genous manure, supplying only 86 pounds of nitrogen, but in a more readily available condition. Nor was the increased assimilation of any of the individual constituents so great under the influence of the farm- yard manure, as when they were applied in the rapidly available condi- tion, as in the artificial mixtures. In the case of other crops it has been found that only a small por- tion of the nitrogen of farm-yard manure was taken up in the year of application. But these results seem to indicate that the potato zs able to avail itself of a less proportion of the nitrogen of the manure than any other farm crop. Yet,in ordinary practice, farm-yard manureis Experiments with Different Fertilizers. 67 not only largely relied upon for potatoes, but is often applied in larger quantities for them than for any other crop. It is probable, that independent of its liberal supply of all necessary constituents, its beneficial effects are in a considerable degree due to its influence on the mechanical condition of the soil, rendering it more porous and easily permeable to the surface roots, upon the development of which the success of the crop so much depends. Then, again, something may be due to an increased temperature of the surface soil, en- gendered by the decomposition of so large an amount of organic matter within it ; while the carbonic acid evolved in the decomposi- tion will, with the aid of moisture, serve to render the mineral re- sources of the soil more soluble. In countries where the potato is largely grown for the manufacture of starch, the specific gravity serves as an important indication of quality. The higher the-specific gravity, the greater, as arule, is the proportion of dry matter, and the greater the proportion of starch. Indeed, tables are constructed for the calculations of the percentage of dry matter, and of starch from the specific gravity of the tubers. The general conclusion to which these calculations as to the dis- tribution of the various constituents of potato tubers leads is, that from 80 to 85 per cent., or even more, of the total nitrogen of the tu- bers may be in the juice, and that about the same proportion of the total mineral matter also may be in the juice. Further, that about the same proportion—8o to 85 per cent.—of the total potash, and about two-thirds of the total phosphoric acid, are in the juice. And when it is borne in mind that two-thirds, or more, of the nitrogen ex- isting as albuminoids is in the juice, it is obvious that if the mode of cooking the potato is such as to exclude the constituents of the juice from the final food product, there is considerable waste of nutritive matter ; and that, indeed, the proportion of albuminoid matter in the food is exceedingly small. When potatoes are used as a mere ad- junct to an otherwise liberal diet, the general practice is to cut off the rind, and to put the peeled potatoes into cold water, by which a large proportion of the soluble albuminoid matters must be washed out, before the temperature of the water becomes sufficiently high to coagulate and fix them. A very large proportion of the potash must also be washed out under such circumstances. When, how- ever, potatoes constitute an important item in the diet, as in the ru- 68 The New Potato Culture. ral districts of Ireland, for example, it is usual to boil them in their skins, or, as it is said, in their jackets. Under such circumstences, certainly a much larger proportion of the albuminoid matter will reach the stomachs of the consumers ; and doubtless much more of the potash and phosphoric acid also. Still, it is obvious that a potato diet must be very deficient in the proportion of nutritive nitrogenous compounds. The produce of dry substance of tubers was, without manure, 1,353 pounds per acre ; with purely mineral manure, 2,384 pounds ; and with the mixture of the mineral and nitrogenous manures (‘*complete’’) more than 4,000 pounds per acre. Potatoes are reckoned to contain on an average more than 21 per cent. of starch. The produce of starch per acre is 1,120 pounds without manure, and 1,988 or nearly 2,000 pounds with purely mineral manure—that is without nitrogen. The amount witl purely nitrogenous manure is not so great as that with purely mineral manure. But with both nitrogenous and mineral manure (‘‘ complete’’) the quantity of starch is raised to an average of about 3,400 pounds, or about 1% ton per acre. Gilg ei ca ales ae ba The Effects of Different Quantities of Fertilizers and Manures. FERTILIZERS VERSUS MANURES. N NO other crop have we had such telling results from the use of chemical fertilizers, as compared with farm manure, as upon potatoes, and this has been the case during the past twelve years without any exception that is now recalled. This seems to have been the experience of many other farmers. Upon oats and corn, and vegetables of various kinds, fertilizers have occasionally failed to increase the crop, while farm manures in contigu- ous plots have produced marked effects. The experiments which we now have to record are no exceptions, though all the conditions seemed favorable to a decided and impartial test. The land (a sandy loam) had never received any chemical fertili- zers, and, for 15 years at least, no manure of any kind. Two plots were measured off, one-tenth of an acre each, that is 132x33 feet. The first received three tons of stable manure, or at the rate of 30 tons to the acre in October. The seed potatoes (Great Eastern) were cut to two eyes each and planted April 22,in drills 2% feet apart, and 14 inches apart in the drills. Both plots were cultivated once and hoed twice, the soil being kept level without any hilling up about the plants. The yield was 24 bushels and 3 pecks, or at the rate of 247.50 bushels to the acre, of which 80 per cent. were market- able. The second plot received instead of the stable manure 200 pounds of potato fertilizer, or at the rate of one ton to the acre, the seed pieces, distance of planting and treatment being ‘ust the same as (69) 70 The New Potato Culture. with the first plot. The yield was 27% bushels, or at the rate of 275 bushels to the acre, of which go per cent. were marketable. The po- tatoes were smoother and brighter and less injured by wire worms than those of the manure plot. The cost of the manure delivered was three dollars per ton, or nine dollars for the plot. The cost of the potato fertilizer was $48 per ton, or $4.80 for the plot. The guaranteed analysis of the latter was, ammonia, 4.50 to 5 per cent; phosphoric acid, 8 to 10 per cent; potash, 6 to 8 per cent., magnesia, lime, soda, etc., forming the rest. The season was unfavorable throughout. If potatoes had been raised on the same plots the next year with- out fertilizer or manure, possibly or even probably the manured plot would have outyielded the fertilized plot, because if for no other reason, the nitrogen of the latter, being soluble, would have passed through the soil, while the farm manure would have yielded nitrogen for that and subsequent seasons. THE EFFECTS OF INCREASING QUANTITIES OF FERTILIZERS ON LAND MORE OR LESS IMPOVERISHED. What amount of potato fertilizer can I use profitably on my land for this crop? By potato fertilizer is meant that which is sold as such by leading fertilizer manufacturers, costing from $40 to $45 per ton, and analyzing about four per cent. of nitrogen, ten per cent. of phosphoric acid, and seven per cent. of potash. It is a question which a farmer must answer for himself, and that the question may be answered it is the object of these experiments to show. My experi- ment land, as has been shown, needs all kinds of plant food. Noth- ing less than a ‘‘complete”’ potato fertilizer will materially increase the crop. Forexample, if the above fertilizer be deprived of either potash, nitrogen or phosphoric acid, no matter in how great quantities the remainder is applied, no material increase in the crop will be given. This is true of this particular land. Upon other farms, any one or two might increase the yield as much as if all were used, in which case the cost of the omitted ingredients would be saved. Whether special or complete fertilizers will prove more profitable depends entirely upon what the land needs, and this vital question is what each farmer must find out for himself. Effects of Different Quantities of Fertilizers. 71 The trenches were dug about a foot wide and fourinches deep, as in most of the potato experiments herein recorded. The seed pieces were placed in the bottom, exactly a foot apart, and lightly covered with soil, andthe various quantities of fertilizers as stated in the fol- lowing tables were evenly strewn in the trenches. The fertilizer used in this series of experiments was the ‘‘ Stockbridge Potato Manure,” the analysis and cost of which are approximately given above. The variety planted was the Rural Blush. FIRST SERIES. No. 1. 220 pounds to the acre. The yield was at the rate of 276.83 bushels to the acre. No. 2. 440 pounds of fertilizer to the acre. Yield, 330 bushels to the acre. No. 3. 880 pounds of fertilizer. Yield, 397.83 bushels to the acre. No. 4. Natural soil. The yield was at the rate of 163.16 bushels to the acre. No. 5. 220 pounds of fertilizer to the acre (duplicate of No. 1). The yield was at the rate of 245.66 bushels to the acre. No. 6. 440 pounds of fertilizer to the acre (duplicate of No. 2). The yield was 370.33 bushels to the acre. No. 7. 880 pounds of fertilizer to the acre (duplicate of No. 3). The yield was at the rate of 476.66 bushels to the acre. Averaging the two separate trials, we have: 220 pounds fertilizer. Yield 261.24 bushels. 440 ce ff ce 350.16 oe 880 e se oe 437.24 “ee Natural soil. UG 162 16 ve It appears, then, that 220 pounds of this fertilizer strewn in the trenches, as above explained, increased the yield over the unfertil- ized soil at the rate of 98 bushels to the acre: 440 pounds, 187 bushels ; 880 pounds, 274 bushels. The above experiments show that thus far 880 pounds of the fer- tilizer may profitably be used to the acre. How much more than that amount can be profitably used will be shown in the next trials in which the comparative results of stable manure are also given. The prom- ise of the yields, as judged by the growth and appearance of the 72 The New Potato Culture. vines, is shown by ratings made by two persons, June 27. Ten (10), as in trials previously reported, was fixed as the highest rating. Plot 1, rated June 27 (220 pounds fertilizer), «. ce 2. ee ae 440 ce ee 6. 3, ve Cue) 880 ec oe 8. 4. oe ee 000 ee oe 2 DUPLICATES. Plot 5, rated June 27 (220 pounds fertilizer), 5. ae 6, ce ae 440 ims oe Fe 9. Ge a ety 880 a ee SULPHATE OF IRON HARMFUL. In this experiment Williams, Clark & Co.’s potato fertilizer was used, the minimum guaranteed analysis being ammonia four per cent., soluble phosphoric acid five per cent., potash eight per cent. No. 1 received at the rate of 19,800 pounds of New York stable manure per acre. The yield was at the rate of 328.16 bushels to the acre. No. 2 received neither manure nor fertilizer. The yield was 212.66 bushels to the acre. No. 3 received 420 pounds of the fertilizer. The yield was 245.66. No. 4 received 880 pounds. The yield was 330 bushels. No. 5 received 880 pounds of the fertilizer and at the rate of 440 pounds to the acre of sulphate of tron. The yield was 309.83 bushels to the acre. No. 6 received 1,320 pounds of the potato fertilizer. The yield was at the rate of 388.66 bushels to the acre. No. 7 received 1,320 pounds of the potato fertilizer with 440 pounds of the s/phate of tron. The yield was 379.50 bushels. No. 8 nothing. Yield 264.00o—the highest yield ever made in this particular soil without manure or fertilizer. No. g received 1,760 pounds of the potato fertilizer. Yield, 443.66. No. 10 received 2,200 pounds to the acre of the potato fertilizer. The yield was nearly the same as No. 9, viz., 443 bushels. No. 11 received 2,640 pounds. The yield was 480.33. No. 12 received at the rate of 880 pounds of the potato fertilizer and also 200 pounds of ground fish, 660 pounds of kainit, 440 of bone Effects of Different Quantites of Fertilizers. 73 flour, and 440 pounds of nitrate of soda—z,640 pounds to the acre in all. With this excessive application of all kinds of plant food, but especially of nitrogen, the yield was 361.16 bushels to the acre. In this experiment the yield is profitably increased by this fertilizer up to 1,760 pounds to the acre. The tabulated figures are: AAG WPOUNGS LeLrewIZET encase te erie nse eee sale 245.66 bushels. sso SO estaierern mesa aeiee he eh sgq;00) 320K 4 eed Dc eis eo Gea 388.66 ‘ T700%8 2 Sia PE Aico et Mee Lact nO ee AAs OOm aa, Zr2O0Ohe ao al PRE oa ere EOE 443.00 a 2i{040)0 5 <" piel itficis atthe cnet clay 6,2) e" 480. 33 x That No. 8 without any fertilizer should have yielded more than No. 3, which received 440 pounds to the acre, cannot be accounted for. That 2,200 pounds gave no greater yield than 1,760 pounds, while 2,640 pounds largely increased the yield over either, is also in- explicable. The copperas decreased the yield in both trials. As in previous trials of the several plots, as judged by the growth and appearance of the vines, the promise of yield is shown by ratings made by two persons June 27, ten (10) being the highest. Os ol |. eerie ees Ratede o5 ge =s.c 2c eee 1,980 lbs. stable manure. Ze cieiices Cie us it ene eerie: Nothing. ie ae esate ye einwieis. ahs ne EO A ican 440 fertilizer. BE Ay eda) susiers iad us Oe oe ee 880 UL ‘ et cesuareroiot ork en BU BAGag ae one 880 BS PSR Olen vicar eta ovey ess { OF rare Saunas 320) -: 1,320 fertilizer. IN Glee Hierro c sfeveteotey- RAT OC en Go are lolele eteletets | 440 sulphate of iron. Phy Otr eos veto ee es Bien sikhe, sctviaceisys Nothing. Oly reasisine acters Se LOE terloh ofsteteraes 1,760 fertilizer. He Sul Sago cose se DO are tatevess fe 23200 es gig WELT: pero teevere cite st DeneL ONS eit. Acaa tates 2,640 a Seok oan eeae oe us Bee onthe 2,640 mixed fertilizer. HOW MUCH FERTILIZER MAY BE PROFITABLY USED FOR POTATOES ON AN IMPOVERISHED SOIL THAT NEEI!S **COMPLETE’’ FERTILIZER ? The soil on which these experiments have been carried on for the past /wo years is so impoverished that the yield by the most careful trench culture without fertilizer is less than 150 bushels of potatoes 74 The New Potato Culture. to the acre, while paying crops of corn or vegetables of any kind are out of the question. Fertilizer has been used from 400 to 2,200 pounds to the acre for two seasons on this particular plot, and for four other seasons on two other fields, and the results have been essentially the same, whether the weather has been wet or dry. The variety was the Rural Blush. The season was the wettest ever known. _FIRST SERIES. Ploti1: oNeaturalisoiltte. saceice «oer 161.33 bushels per acre ee ai) 440 pounds fertilizer........... TEOOKOOM Nuke a % 3 880 ay Saiacal side anane 212.66 2 oe Ho ge Te 20 MI hs AU Soe eran A 27 SOOM ane ot is FL, 700 ia quart IAL Ty morte tiers, sore 330.00 rae SpaetO eZ 200) ee Feri NES bie te arr eRe 308.00 a a Plote7-. eNaturalltsoilen csc Seren rare 154.00 bushels per acre. <8.) ago pounds tertilizers.-- eee - sation) ue RS 880 SE te Sak eps ene eraieiel cess Ail 33h a Cee LOL? IB 20 Se. witesosc anos 245.66 e - Selleele 7,00 iol Gas - dito pete 207, OOn ee a EZ 25200 Se we ll Gan erate c 330.00 4 “a THIRD SERIES. Rlot ast Natural soilless i ackaee eee 117.33 bushels per acre. LAS ae 4AAONpounds rertillizenues eens TAB ea ie US else XhSIO) LOE 20 pee ce Leonie es 198.00 es “ nq LOE GIs B20 Se Queer seyers 282.33 He “ UO Tatty = Shey GO) eS alll IM ereteneae aS OOLOOMmmnEE ~ Selon 2a OO) CP we. code aeoe.o" BAA OO tx i FOURTH SERIES. Rlotiro ne Natimalescilier werraruecrsstertesinc 146.66 bushels pei’ acre. i 205) Avo wpoundstentiliver = 71 snnc 165. ae cs 1 2rs eso SUB A Op pete om Stain 238.33 . ‘< a2? oO ey ei Rens clio 304.33 AS Wu tee 2300 as SP eA Ones us ee 24.. 2,200 Ce We Raa ccemgeuo go3-00n ee. ue Effect of Different Quantities of Fertilizers. 75 AVERAGES. Watwuealicoilrs 52 15 e..a chee 144 bushels per acre. 440 pounds fertilizer............ TOSUMNeS: “ 880 Mt Mea Gon ien es se 216.“ fs I,320 Ee A EER a 28 i + “1,760 Se ATU Deion Ansel esc siohs 294 33 2,200 SO taatie rahe a cassrees cto 336 a Rot prevailed more than ever before. The rotten potatoes were not estimated. The vines were injured by the flea-beetle and died nearly one month earlier than usual. The tubers seemed to be about three-quarters of the normal size. It would seem that farmers cultivating impoverished land should learn a valuable lesson from these experiments, which have been con- ducted long enough to prove that there is a reasonable chance of raising profitable crops of potatoes by the liberal use of high-grade fertilizers. The guaranteed analysis of the fertilizer used is as follows : JNinah coh Chad Sn emotes 6 ete e OU! COC 4% per cent. Phos@horicacid....... .s+-0:.5' 8 to 10 as Iotas ier nti wort ee eters es 6to 8 oe EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT QUANTITIES OF FERTILIZERS ON POTA- TOES GROWN IN A VARIABLE SOIL. Plot 30— 220 pounds, yielded at the rate per acre of ..... 258.50 bushels. ‘* 36— 220 CO en Gerationt OES HOM Oa eR oD Ot ae 205.33 x tO 220 30h aM SIS OL LEEL ini Gin Daairormd CIO enon 172.33 a ‘* 3I— 440 USNR AI apse ch etapateter siareratsrersteusiar= aie ie 'eveiebe io. eye eusls 298.83 2 B= ANG. ON) tefcy aie rake ele Sieneushes ciavewotovele Toren = (alu ate e) whens 253. es At aA AO) Se Mila lacistakaetsi sulle eGes: tne b.0leieRcrern Go er'eius edhe (esanet 253. of ‘€ 32— 880 re erew ane er cw ney v ioe ene Moroueseaarerd ats Mirsisueters 282.33 " ‘* 38— 880 (0 SS HOLES DDoS GU ORO ONS CAO mdor HO eee i ‘* 42— 880 Jf EMD eine tigd Boo OSE TON cio oo cme oe 231. He ‘* 33—I,320 MEN Lm NPDN Sickel nf siiayies Sick oiler sTereetalin|. a eualasrs: whota 228.16 Nf i *44—1,320 eBay cent eb ame fava alos alghiabe sp aletotey Reyteaaeyey ,242. es i 34-—1,700 SU) Sexiaobgm od comdpe ocr coe bre Sioern rn 280. ss ‘« 39—1,760 ee eae ey re esas ir aueae ta she hep ee so taxes cher Pecenoveia as 242. y Cg Ores) EMME Ato tarede satan hegax chess tons casrareiisy ez stare cireke tar etl siete 161. 33 ut ee Se OQID ie WU Galati tattettahe (aaniia\iesle fee) ellelip cerour¥nl eile Colvel) ol Sins he TAZ 76 The New Potato Culture. SUMMARY. The average crop of the plots that did not receive any fer- tilizer was atithe rates pen acreloly...aecreti s) eeie 146.66 bushels. Z2ONPOUNGS Aa VCash roars oer Leelee tenet Oo ekaerane terse kaake 212.05 ie AAO es" BEND ee vianer ed mercnaheenenlarWer laters reper Oetehe eel ate tegen tal ce ttets 268.28 fexeray HY HA ar aye cathe e rah epee d Wore cn Se Tac ASE TAOS sy suse ae Eee 240.78 i T1320 ees Se \Aeataltahinn rey aie Rerroytag o=2¥-9e, he garematen eae ane olebsmete nse meeal colton ot 285.08 oe 1,760 a ace AOS OSL OL oobi ica aouo UL 201. The variety planted was the Rural Blush. Some of the vines were greatly, some lightly, and a few not at all, injured by the flea-beetle. The fertilizer used was the Stockbridge potato manure. ON AN ADJACENT PLOT. These trials as to the effects of increasing amounts of fertilizers were again carried on during the past season—18g90. The season was remarkable for the amount and frequency of rainfall and for comparatively few potato beetles. Flea-beetles were less numerous and blight less destructive than during the two preceding seasons. The plots have never (so far as the writer can ascertain) received any manure or fertilizer of any kind prior to the last three years, when these potato experiments were begun on this particular land. The soil is variable, being in parts a stiff clay while in other portions it is more of a loamy character. Mapes’ potato fertilizer, the analysis of which has been given, was used in quantities at the rate of from 220 to 1,760 pounds to the acre. The trenches and culture given were the same as in preceding trials, the variety Rural Blush. Riot i— 9220 poundsstombhe acres meinen eriae eee yield 156 _ bushels. ‘* 6— 220 rt SO) ge prtexeie Oise te ounomererca tee Sc ar 2Xe) a 2— 440 ss Dy booeyadieoute Gin o-s don eG, a ‘< 7— 440 oe CO ba eet nooo on “176 os © 3— 880 ie | SoS co moneo oo coho told 5229506 cs ‘* 8— 880 a earn niga JCal eters shakes T2ZTORSS ue ‘© 4—1,760 oy UE Bp loteiod dorado Don on eet oS Bes} a ‘“ 9g—1,760 RE Rererect okie Seren 20 SkCOnmaas a) 5 Nothing ss. ase 9. shishous pansveodesensaner ats arioboestete ps cette So) LOO; TORN a Effect of Different Quantities of Fertilizers. a AVERAGES. hi RETTLNI ZCI PAVE PCE ACL: paises oles ees less Beak 196.16 bushels. e220 poundstenilizer save per aCle.= 5.2 cece loo. = ra750, 440 * ce OS on WOR Le oRomer peer 181.50 “ 880 Fh bm bee Me eae aac, Sian EO Blas ea 219.99 1,760 < x Oat Ot gs Spon Aa Shei Stench ons 305.90 a TOTAL AVERAGES. Noertilizer yielded pertacres . 4: 22 wicca < 20 4 eivie wt cleo xe - 187.77 bushels. 220 Pounds sertilizer yielded... . 0.2.5 .)60.2csseeee sev eny ene 206.93 AAOMPOUNUS Mentzer Vielded a wea sem ee cic sie site helm = laren a 242.72 S8oupoundstertilizeryielded =. s1caoua)s 34 gets ole lnk «= 290:00 ‘" Me2oupaunds fertilizer yielded’... a. -gce oer el fee 307525 ae ny 700 pounds fertilizer yielded... o.....0 05. dewee es cck eres B20 de ro tons (nearly, viz., 19,800 lbs.) stable manure yielded.328.16 =“ 30 tons stable manure yielded, ina less favorable season, 247.50 re Average of stable manure Ses. 91 eins sceiatis «= orien 287.83 ie In what way is our friend, the reader, to turn the above experiments to his own advantage? Were his land the same he would naturally reason in this wise: ‘‘ The natural soil, I find, may be relied upon to give 188 bushels tothe acre. To beon the safe side I will estimate their market value at 50 cents the bushel. That would give $94 worth of potatoes to the acre. Now, 220 pounds of fertilizer costing $4.40 (or $40 per ton) gives an increase of 19 bushels, which at 50 cents the bushel are worth $9.50. I ama gainer, for the use of the fertilizer, of $9.50 per acre, less $4.40, or $5.10 per acre. If I use 440 pounds of fertilizer I am, by the same figuring, a gainer of $27.50. If I use 880 pounds of fertilizer I gain $51.00 ;. 1,320 pounds, $64.50; 1,760 pounds, $69.00, not to consider the advantage which will ac- crue to succeeding crops by excessive applications.” But the chances are largely against the assumption that his land is the same, or so nearly the same, that he would be safe in adopting the above conclusions as safe to work upon. There is not one to ad- 78 The New Potato Culture. vise him wherein he should proceed differently. Analysis of his soil would not be an infallible guide. The brightest agricultural chemist in the world could give him no positive information as to the kind and quality of fertilizer which might be most economically used. Mani- festly, therefore, he must become his own teacher, and he can do this in no other more effective way than by instituting a similar set of ex- periments on his own fields, guided by the intimations which stable, farm-yard, hen or other manure, ashes or other partial manures may have in past seasons afforded. In effectually carrying on such a series of simple investigations, subsequent parts of this book may be of assistance. CHAPTER IX. Shall the Fertilizer be Placed Under or Over the Seed Pieces ? T IS not known to the writer that any effective experiments have been made to solve this seemingly important problem. Ifthe old way—or ordinary way—of planting potatoes be pursued, viz., placing the pieces in a shallow plow-furrow and then throwing the furrow soil back, it may have little significance one way or the other. But if the trench system be followed, there might reasonably be expect- ed a decided difference—a difference modified of course by rainfall— whether the applied food be below or above the pieces. The experi- ments were begun ten years ago for a single season, and resumed four years ago. The following plain tables will set forth the outcome up to this time. Evidently the trials should be made not only in light, medium and heavy soils, but for many years ere an emphatic answer could reasonably be looked for. The trenches were dug about five inches deep, three feet apart, and a foot wide. The Stockbridge * potato fertilizer (880 lbs. to the acre) was spread under and over the pieces (Blush), separated from them in either case by two inches of soil. The season was favor- able, being neither too wet nor too dry. FERTILIZER UNDER. IN OVE mPOFIAGREN 5 stie ied titereccrc ise & sthie Sse Siehars 359.33 bushels. Oe amen am PPS rearer shes satavbn at tee.5 eal alk pe, oacuen 313.33 ne FE Lol RY aint S25 ow ORO RE OC ogtea tere peta 412.50 fs TR CAR ahs ONO'S sb Oo UCIT E eRe 330.00 ot * The average analysis of this fertilizer is given as ammonia, five Dee cent, phosphoric acid, 10 per cent; potash, six per cent. (79) 80 The New Potato Culture. INIOL. “Oy |PEPTACKE: scone stacie nt ia tetera ee 310.20 bushels BS, CD ae kN i bi Rote enue sign, cbt Gear vets cena mea 335.50 a Pte ALES Iw ead Bid icomereryces roo ot een ae 297 OO ~ 05 ee Te rnicoog CUUdo oOdoda Coro aOR AG 392 33 co amele7, BEDS oe rolstdvalocane colar a anse eRe Cne 289.66 SS TO in We. 1s SE Um aregaromusne stare enemolege Tek ACES Seats 289.66 a 3,329.51 bushels. Or at the average rate of 332.95 bushels to the acre. FERTILIZER OVER. IN Ones 2 DOL ACEC u et eneter ch epelarceencestern eterna 359.33 bushels. iI pd CS eR ert sp lee SasusUal cata GU ce, Stars. w Stones s 339. 16 ei EEO ES = Cee eat ne Seer ye BgOnG eens Cig) alee SR Premne teas een WRN Mer aan Sey Ot 32206") ate SEIETTO er Sag’ Stchol ayes Sperstewley ooo Mtoe atg eee ee 419.83 us ae ele nt” Peueite scuefisicaasiave va decor eneheksteneucerenele 322.66 iS ODA NON ON nes ea taie crm laiits oie nivel skoremon arene ae 311.66 yt Tra Oat Make Mob enna trois fann Ofte GD nic DL OGoIa otoere 305.00 oe He CTO) ie WEL Ue yapencmapy sisi ai sta eevee eects smeieenals 354 50 : 3,133.96 bushels. Or at the average rate of 348.21 bushels of potatoes to the acre. We have thus fara difference of over 15 bushels in favor of placing the fertilizer adove the seed pieces. UNDER AND OVER EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED FOR THE SECOND YEAR. The trenches were dug the same depth, viz., five inches. In the ‘** fertilizer w2zder” trials, the fertilizer was strewn in the bottom of the trenches and the seed pieces (Blush) placed on or in contact with the fertilizer. In the ‘‘ fertilizer over”’ trials, the pieces were placed in the bottom of the trenches, and the trenches filled to within one inch. The fertilizer (the same as that used in the experiments recorded above) was then strewn on this soil in the trenches, at the rate of 1,300 pounds to the acre, and the remaining inch of the trench filled in and the soil leveled. Fractions are omitted in the results. The season was wet. Fertilizer Under or Over the Seed Pieces. gr Plotn fertilizemmader oi.) 525 se6i0 esicis oie 293 bushels per acre. ve ee MOTEL ita lias Sheath Sina 2035 =! He, an ge a MIDE Taree ia eft sac ols oder he sas 2On seh pe on As MOOR OMT nates ate Soe oo Ral ane is 2 ee a an va Paros “s A eGeeys eeiers c1te e aia a Ks Ss na LT OVELAT RISES chine. cet ae ye crease smalrs 5 TIED reek Oke cere es Tyo, ° Ss gree ce “ 8, ee Sikads | =: capil meee Bred er er, ea EG. ee ten} Ui RE baer oe ee crete ae eee 279 ‘ eas “10, SPE NMOME Le ca stoi nireets wide: ol ne ein ers 200% ne qe ies Sk, - MHGET sited octee at ee P) aae bi Sw 12, ; OVER See pete eile aa ssetever Gog. tat vie Ocre AVERAGE. \Oharc see SNR Ao Hic Seno) De SNC an 235 bushels per acre. OVerwatmigt a years e cieter stata cue sake tes 268 bushels per acre. SHALL THE FERTILIZER BE PLACED UNDER OR OVER THE SEED PIECES ? THIRD YEAR (1890). The trenches were dug this times six inches deep. In the ‘‘ferti- lizer under” trials, the fertilizer was strewn in the bottom of the trenches, and the seed pieces (Rural Blush) placed on (in contact with) the fertilizer. Inthe ‘‘fertilizer over” trials, the pieces were placed in the bottom, as with the others, and five inches of soil were returned. Then the fertilizer was sown on this soil, the remaining soil (one inch) being replaced to fill the trench. NOw ehMbzenminder nye dp peraAChe nije) ttt alee eereiore 232.83 net eS) be ge ue YN eGo Bice ee ee ae 253 psy ii ts us ONE daisccs tre Series oes 269.50 pany i a se Se CREE 55 Sin aoe protege 255.65 ae; a 4 “ es eet a Sete ees 254.83 AV ETLATERY IE Mu PErAGKE) trues oles sues sielereieicereroye: ese a) edenshe vere 253.16 Noy 2) tertihizern overt yield) per acre) = 25 .cinc cin 5-7-4 o Rienaroiny Esto 236.50 20: Ph» Welot oO RED ead GEO EOC ICRS COTO ICO OTIC OI ROR IOr 280.50 22 die C8, os orecro coo Cea oid 0.9 6 hae its DIGIREE SIG TRON oo Ce 278.66 23 OF ae Piel fated AiR tac eioeIaNahe Gi egols, sila eueumese adie ler erosrae areas 315.33 24 AS )o WESSOIEAGROENOLE, OTH OIG U snCOnCRC.G CRON ach Mein Omni Stretton Dk 300 25 I) dedies By otk ho deo. cE MIOIG Coe OOO CO ato Le 240.16 26. DM Sarthe uehecestevsteoefeue siaicde el selets)al sis: sftw a oi's:.¢ "rose evs ex 242. 27 IY 62 Sid Ong bdo UCU Oe HOU OS UO CUCU OD OOCUnep ane a aad 293, 28 ‘ERE + Sniva me Obs DT OnU ono OOD DO com Dio aneeo Io 254.83 29 Be een aR Seay ON ALE aE We caaatd relia: Wig fatal Fl evece\= 293 86 The New Potato Culture. Bushels Vo. Inches. per acre. 31. Bw Veaave tare @ ole, 5 eGaratee eyewe ondey Paveksre eters ere aac ieee: 258.33 32) APD isle iairorian cuore, she setolonete le) a totesceses tate) weiee) ee netone nore eenees 284.17 33. ORES Sob aEr Op Mirco. sis Uae oa oe eID tp no cole C 247.50 34. Sigs ROT GOIORIE Gon On city, Smits CoM UBLONDO Bio bak Oot cin 251.16 AVERAGES. Two inches depth yielded, per acre.............. 265 40 bushels, Four ‘“ at ee i ty pts geperck eater eaeils Fee 27 7520 os Six a as us SP ae Fa ea arte 281.56 Le Eight ‘ ue af ahi ama ea dee Te ier 258.35 a ‘Tens. 7!* fie ee MAE ee eget eater 263.38 “i The difference between the greatest yield—six inches depth—and the smallest yield—eight inches depth—is 23.19 bushels to the acre. The difference between the eight inches depth and the ten inches depth is but five bushels to the acre. Had the season been dry we should naturally have looked for a larger yield from the deeper trenches. As it was, the difference does not at all pay for the extra cost of a depth of planting beyond six inches. AVERAGE OF TOTAL RESULTS. jwounches penactenscjarcmecc us cetiee see es 245.70 bushels. Houta: OG Rnd ace tueyete S ittahorel mos Seeger a atssoun aes tere PIANO GO) Six HS Sees CRM oat nts oumarits agar rn rakes 232 Eight “‘ Gf SI as ane MeL cee oOEE 25 7S Oe phen. BS is re, svsyoden otonovayShev acne skate eRe eCON 240.81 sa It will be seen that the four-inch trenches give the largest yield as the average of three years during which these experiments have been conducted. When it is considered that the eight-inch trenches give the next largest yield, we have evidence that the experiments have not been carried on long enough to warrant any positive generaliza- tions. CHiVrhilek« xf. Nitrogen, especially nitrate nitrogen asin nitrate of scda. Its effects when applied alone. May farmers derive a profit from its use when applied to land indiscriminately or as farm manure is applied ? Joseph Harris’s views and the author's answer. Experiments. HAVE always taken the view, with or without sufficient data for intelligent guidance, that unless the farmer or gardener by actual test, has found out that his land is poor in nitrogen and fairly sup- plied with potash and phosphoric acid, conditions which are known rarely to exist, he cannot afford to use the nitrate of soda alone except in asmall, experimental way. The same may be said of sul- phate of ammonia. This view I have taken pains to emphasize from time to time in several of the leading farm papers of the day. Ina prominent horticultural magazine Mr. Joseph Harris, of Moreton Farm—the author of several interesting and very instructive books on farm topics—has criticised these opinions, as may be seen by the following remarks : MR. HARRIS’S CRITICISMS. ‘‘Mr., Carman says: ‘It is much to be regretted that certain writers are advocating the use of nitrate of soda. Unless the land is well supplied with potash and phosphoric acid and needs nitrogen alone, nitrogen will not materially increase the crop.’ ‘¢ This is a self-evident-proposition. And the same thing might be said of soda, lime, magnesia, sulphuric acid andiron. All these ingre- dients of plants are absolutely essential to healthy plant growth. ‘‘ There are people who contend that to maintain the productive- (87) ; 88 The New Potato Culture. ness of our land it is necessary to return to the soil the amount of plant food that the crops remove. They overlook the fact that a cer- tain amount of plant food is rendered available each year from the store of plant food lying dormant in the soil. If this is sufficient we need use nomanure. If any one element is deficient, we must supply the deficiency or be satisfied with a deficient yield. The weakest link in a chain determines the strength of the whole chain. If we find out the weakest link and strengthen it, then some other link would be the weakest. Asa rule, for most garden crops our soils are deficient, Ist, in nitrogen; and when this is supplied, they are deficient, 2nd, in phosphoric acid ; and when this is supplied they are deficient, 3rd, in potash, and so on through every link in the chain. ‘¢ For forty years or more, efforts have been made to find out what ingredients of plant food are most likely to be deficient. It was pro- posed to analyze the soils. This was found to be practically useless. The idea was then advanced that the amount of plant food in the crops would tell us the amount necessary to apply in manure. Lawes and Gilbert’s experiments, over forty years ago, demonstrated the fallacy of this idea, but every now and then it shoots up again and grows as vigorously and perniciously as ever. ‘‘ What we need, especially in garden crops, is not ‘soil tests,’ but experiments that will show what plants require a ‘sap of the soil’ specially rich in nitrogen or in phosphoric acid or potash. In other words, we want to ascertain the weakest link in the supply of food for different plants; and there is no way of getting at the facts ex- cept by actual experiments. ‘‘When Mr. Carman says it is much to be regretted that we are advocating the use of nitrate of soda, he overlooks the fact that we advocate the use of superphosphate with equal earnestness, and, in some cases, of potash also. The object of these articles was to show that when gardeners use the ordinary commercial fertilizers, they spend a great deal of money for plant food that their crops do not need. For instance, if they want to apply 100 pounds of nitrogen on an acre of land, and 50 pounds of phosphoric acid, and buy a fertilizer guaranteed to contain 2 per cent. of nitrogen and 12 per cent. of phos- phoric acid, they will have to sow 5,000 pounds to the acre, and this will furnish ¢fwe/ve ¢émes as much phosphoric acid as is required. What we contend for is that they should buy the necessary phos- The Use of Nitrogen. 89 phoric acid in the cheapest and best form and be sure to use enough of it, but not too much. To put on twelve times as much soluble phosphoric acid as is needed, in order to get the necessary nitrogen, is folly. If you want nitrogen as well as phosphoric acid, buy the nitrogen in the cheapest and best form. If we recommend nitrate of soda to those who wish to buy nitrogen, it is because the nitrogen is in the best and most available form, and because, at the present timc, it is the cheapest source of nitrogen. ‘* There are enormous beds of it in South America, and its use in Europe is rapidly increasing, while with us it is almost unknown. It certainly is well worth our while to see if, especially in our dry and sunny climate, we cannot use it to great advantage. ‘*Mr. Carman further says: ‘In experiments made at the Rural Grounds during two seasons, to ascertain the effect of nitrogen on potatoes, it was found that additional quantities of nitrate of soda, or sulphate of ammonia, or blood, or all three, beyond what was supplied by the ‘complete’ fertilizer, did not increase the yield in any case. * * * From 1,200 to 2,000 pounds of the fertilizer was used, guaranteed to contain 3} per cent. of nitrogen, 12 per cent. of phos- phoric acid and 6 per cent. of potash. It appears, therefore, that the amount of nitrogen supplied by the fertilizer was amply sufficient for the crop’s needs, and that the added nitrogen was so much money thrown away.’ ‘*Mr, Carman made better experiments than his allusion to them above would indicate. Our own personal objection to them is that they were on too small a scale to carry conviction to an old farmer and gardener. The plots were only ;1, part of an acre each. One good feature, however, was that four plots were left without manure. These plots produced at the rate of 88, 97, 68 and 59 bushels per acre each. The variation in the land, therefore, was 38 bushels per acre. Bearing this fact in mind, let us look at some of the more im- portant results bearing on the subject we are discussing. ‘RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS ON POTATOES BY E. S. CARMAN. Bushels per acre, Oye | MAREE (AVCRARE: AUDIOES Jos 5 0s gn ayes 0 wa wins mane ovine oe 74 2=—BOoVPOUuNds sil) priate Ol pOrasMe |. ..a.=. eens oe sss oeoaee 95 B=4oo pounds superpuosplatesrn sicc) casio os ais as ease sso 103 gO The New Potato Culture, Bushels per acre. +4200) Pound smitrate1Olesodaree emt seem anne rier near 141 5—1,100 pounds blood, nitrate of soda and sulphate of am- PLOT A is ede ed Sacto lic tate es ech ae Gee Sie ees Cy 183 6—10 tons two-year-old farm manure................ Seay Saas 139 7—200 pounds nitrate of soda Rel colle a liy Wi 2 9 ean ee 139 120 pounds nitrate of potash $ 8—z2o0o0 pounds nitrate of soda 120 pounds muriate of potash b:-+++++++ttcttt crete eee 156 700 pounds superphosphate ‘¢ There is certainly nothing in these results contradictory to the principles we have advocated. Mr. Carman states that the soil had been cropped for many years without manure of any kind, and that it ‘would not grow beans, or even a good crop of weeds without manure.’ And yet it will be seen that nitrogen a/one, on plot 5, pro- duced 183 bushels of potatoes per acre, while on plot 8, 1,020 pounds of a ‘complete manure’ produced only 156 bushels, or 27 bushels less than nitrogen alone. Why is this? Did the phosphoric acid and potash do harm? No; there was not nitrogen enough. The phosphoric acid and potash could not increase the crop for lack of nitrogen. ‘¢ Mr. Carman tells us that he used from 1,200 to 2,000 pounds of a complete fertilizer, guaranteed to contain 34 per cent. of nitrogen, 12 per cent. phosphoric acid and 6 per cent. of potash, and that when he added more nitrogen, it did no good. Why should it! Oats are good for horses, but when a horse has all the oats he will eat, throwing more oats in the manger will not increase his strength or improve his appearance. If the ton of complete fertilizer furnished all the nitrogen the plants wanted, more could do no good. But for the sake of getting 70 pounds of nitrogen, what folly it is to use aton of fertilizer that contains a greal deal more phosphoric acid, costing 8 cents per lb., than the crop can possibly want? This is the point we wish to impress on our readers. And it is a matter of surprise that so clear-headed and able a man as Mr. Carman does not see that his own experiments demonstrate, if they demonstrate anything, that, so far as the production of potatoes is concerned, this worn out soil, that was so poor that it would not grow a good crop of weeds, was more deficient in available nitrogen than ia any other constituent The Use of Nitrogen. gI of plant-food. Superphosphate and potash, without nitrogen, did no good. They could produce no effect from lack of nitrogen. Thirty- two pounds of nitrogen per acre, in the form of nitrate of soda, raised the crop from 74 bushels per acre (or possibly 59 bushels) to 141 bushels per acre. The same amount of nitrogen on plot 8, in 1,020 lbs. of ‘complete manure’ produced 156 bushels, the 820 lbs. of superphosphate and potash only increasing the yield 15 bushels per acre—not as much as the difference in yield of the unmanured plots. Nitrogen alone, on plot 5, produced 183 bushels per acre. It is clear, therefore, that a complete manure, like that used on plot 8, containing about 3% per cent. of nitrogen, is a very costly and ‘badly balanced ration’ for potatoes. It does not, for Mr. Car- man’s poor, worn-out soil, contain half nitrogen enough. It is true that by using enough of it you could grow a large crop, but it would be done at a fearful and unnecessary expense. We feel perfectly safe in saying that a ton of it per acre would produce no larger a crop than half a ton that contained double the amount of nitrogen. ‘©A complete manure, such as that used on plot 8, would probably cost $40 per ton. The 200 lbs. of nitrate of soda in the mixture can be bought for $5. In other words, the phosphoric acid and potash in the ton of this complete manure cost $35. Leave half of it out and double the nitrate and you will, in my judgment, get quite as large a crop at far less cost. There is nothing in Mr. Carman’s experiments, or any other, to lead me to suppose otherwise. ‘‘ Moreton Farm. JoserH Harris.” REPLY TO JOSEPH HARRIS. Mr. Joseph Harris’s views are no doubt as sound as a dollar in the general principles which they advocate ; but the instances which he cites in proof of his conclusions are possibly open to criticism. For a year or so past certain writers have advocated a more gen- erous use of nitrate of soda, in a way to lead those who have given little thought to chemical fertilizer questions to assume that it is in itself a fertilizer which will insure a profitable increase of crop, re- gardless of the needs of the soil. I have therefore repeatedly cautioned my readers not to use nitrate of soda (or nitrogen in any soluable form) unless it is known that the land is already proportion- ately supplied with available phosphoric acid and potash. Nitrogen 92 The New Potato Culture. is neither more nor less valuable to the gardener or farmer than is — either of the others. It is by far more costly, and, while the phos- phates and potash remain in the soil for subsequent crops, nitrate of soda leaves us even before the current crop is harvested. Wedo not need to tell our distinguished critic this. He knows it, and has taught it in his writings for many years. And yet we place Mr. Har- ris among those who, while cracking up nitrate of soda, has zo/, in every case or in most cases, emphasized sufficiently the insuperable importance of a corresponding supply of minerals. Mr. Harris assumes that the chemical fertilizers of to-day contain too small a quantity of nitrogen ; that the minerals (potash and phos- phate) are the strong links, and that a deficiency of nitrogen is the weak link of the chain by which the crop, in due proportion, will be diminished. This is true without a doubt in a majority of cases, and it is well that it is true, for if the farmer is to lose a part of the money he pays for fertilizers, he would better invest it in food con- stituents of a lower cost which will remain in his soil, than in nitrogen at a higher cost, which takes its leave after a single season of service. If a farmer, from experimentation, is fairly confident that his land is especially short in nitrogen, let him buy fertilizers with a high ratio of nitrogen; but if he knows nothing about it, the very best thing he can do is to buy high-grade complete fertilizers and use them until by experiment he finds that more nitrogen will profitably augment his crops. Then he may wisely add nitrate of soda, salts of ammonia or organic nitrogen, as he, by trial in an inexpensive way on small plots here and there, may find them serviceable. The advocacy of the use of one-sided, low-priced fertilizers on the part of the mixers (‘‘ man- ufacturers ’’) and their agents, has done incalculable harm in the way of inducing those who till the soil to purchase fertilizers which do not furnish the full or partial meal which their land demands. The con- sequence is that they denounce fertilizers zz foto. Thus, bone or South Carolina rock, kainit, superphosphates, ammoniated superphos- phates, sold under high-sounding, taking names, and prices far below those of high-grade brands, are tried and condemned, not for what they really are, but as ‘‘ fertidizers’”’ which are assumed to furnish everything in the way of plant food that the name represents. So it is that in every case gifted and well-known writers, like Mr. Harris, whose words of advice are taken without question, should place all The Use of Nitrogen. 93 possible emphasis upon the economy of purchasing either high-grade complete fertilizers, or of ‘‘ incomplete” fertilizers only as the farmer or gardener has learned from experiment that his land responds fully to bone, to potash or to nitrogen, and that the other constituents are not at present needed. Mr. Harris says that it is a matter of surprise that I do not see that my own experiments demonstrate that, so far as the production of potatoes is concerned, my worn-out soil was more deficient in nitro- gen than in any other constituent of plant-food. ‘‘ Superphosphate and potash, without nitrogen, did no good. They could produce no effect without nitrogen. Nitrogen alone on one plot produced 183 bushels per acre,” or, I may, add, 105 bushels above the average of the plots of natural soil wzthoutfertilizer. It is true that if this single trial be taken as a basis for comparison, Mr. Harris’s reasoning is logical enough. It should be stated in fairness, however, that this little nitrogen plot yielded more for some reason than any other nitrogen- plot either of that year’s experiments or of those of preceding years. Another plot which received not only the same quantity of nitrate of soda per acre (200 pounds), but also 200 pounds of sulphate of potash, produced but go bushels of potatoes to the acre, or 12 bushels above the natural-soil plots. Again, raw bone(1,100 pounds), furnishing perhaps three or four per cent. of ammonia, gave but 77 bushels per acre. Again, in our similar experiments of the year be. fore, nitrate of soda (200 pounds) gave a yield but little more than the average of the natural-soil plots. The several no-fertilizer plots yielded an average of 143 bushels to the acre. Nitrate of soda (200 pounds) yielded but 125 bushels, sulphate of ammonia (120 pounds) yielded the same, nitrate of soda (200 pounds) and dissolved bone- black (400 pounds) yielded 168 bushels. Nitrate of soda (200 pounds) and sulphate of potash (300 pounds) gave 233 bushels per acre. Nitrate of soda (200 pounds), dissolved bone-black 400 pounds), sulphate of potash (300 pounds)—a complete fertilizer— gave 217 bushels. The Mapes potato manure (800 pounds, gave 257 bushels to the acre, while in the later experiments quoted by Mr. Harris, 1,200 pounds of the Mapes (3.70 nitrogen guaranteed) gave a yield of 273 bushels to. the acre. From a glance at the experiments carried on during the season to which Mr. Harris alludes, it is admitted that nitrogen alone gave a 94 The New Potato Culture. greater increase over the unmanured plots than either potash or phosphoric acid or both. It is just as evident, withal, that in no in- stance was a large crop raised except when a high-grade complete fertilizer was used. Whether a smaller quantity of the fertilizer and an additional dose of nitrogen would have given as large a crop we have no proof one way or the other. If we were striving to raise the largest possible yield per acre, we would not use nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda alone, but in the blended forms of nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, dried blood, urate of ammonia and other organic salts of ammonia found in Peruvian guano, all of them solu- ble, but in varying degrees. Moreover, we should supply them, especially on light and fallow land, in minimum quantities consistent with experience, on account of their expense and the liability of loss by leaching. It is easy to supplement nitrogen to a growing crop by top-dressing, if it is thought that it will prove serviceable, as, es- pecially in the form of nitrate, it is exceedingly prompt in its action. On a portion of the same impoverished field upon which the potato trials alluded to were made, the effects of a dressing of 150 lbs. to the acre of nitrate of soda on corn were plainly visible 50 feet away, three days after the application, in the darker color of the leaves as compared with the rest of the field which had received potash and phosphoric acid only. Our great authority, Sir J. B. Lawes, grew potatoes on the same plots for nine consecutive years, from 1876 to 1884 inclusive. The average yield from the use of 4oo lbs. of ammonia salts alone was 103 bushels per acre ; that from 550 lbs. of nitrate of soda was 104 bushels. The same amount of ammonia salts, with the ash elements added (complete), produced an average for the nine years of 325 bushels per acre. Nitrate of soda (550 lbs.), with the ash elements added, gave 300 bushels per acre. Farm-yard manure (16 tons)—an average of six years—gave a yield of 253 bushels per acre. Mr. Harris remarks that the 200 lbs. of nitrate of soda used in several of my experiments to form complete fertilizers, can be bought for $5. We agree with him that for potatoes it is an ill-balanced fer- tilizer in most cases, not, however, because it contains too little ni- trogen necessarily, but because it does not exist in varied forms and also because the potash is too low by half for soils deficient in potash. Where a large crop is anticipated it is always safer to use an excess The Use of Nitrogen. 95 of food constituents, particularly of those that do not waste by leach- ing. Phosphoric acid is, next to nitrogen, the ingredient oftenest de- ficient in soils. Nine-tenths of the fertilizers used in England and America are mainly phosphoric acid. Potash in many soils, how- ever, is present in liberal quantities, and it would be unwise to supply it in full rations unless a known deficit exists. If you err at all, gardeners and farmers, it is better to err on the side of economy. Phosphoric acid will remain with you to feed sub- sequent crops. So willpotash. Know that your soil needs more ni- trogen before you apply it in liberal doses. Nitrogen costs a lot of money, and the higher the price of experiment ingredients, the less the farmer should apply it without due discrimination. We say give the soil all the phosphoric acid you choose. You will rarely overdo it. Give it potash according to its needs, as nearly as youmay. But be gentle and conservative in the use of nitrogen, unless you are positive it will give you full returns. It is a ruinous luxury. We may every one of us bear in mind that if phosphates ma- terially increase our crops, we have evidence, to a certain extent, that nitrates are the less needed at present ; if potash increase the crop, here is evidence that nitrates are the less needed. If both phos- phates and potash fail, then let the experimenter add nitrates in vary- ing quantities from 100 to 300 pounds to the acre, and thus in a safe, inexpensive way find out approximately what his land needs. THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN IN VARYING QUANTITIES UPON POTA- TOES—EFFECTS OF INCREASING QUANTITIES OF FERTILIZERS. This question of how much nitrogen farmers or gardeners may with profit give to the soil is one manifestly of the first importance. Mr. Harris’s position may be repeated and emphasized in the follow- ing words: ‘‘Itis a matter of surprise that Mr. Carman does not see that his own experiments demonstrate that, so far as the produc- tion of potatoes is concerned, his worn-out soil was more deficient in nitrogen than in any other constituent of plant-food.”’ It was to throw more light upon this question that the following trials were made during the past season (1890). Mr. Harris con- tends that the chemical fertilizers of to-day, as a rule, contain too small a quantity of nitrogen; that the minerals (potash and phos- 96 The New Lotato Culture. phate) are the strong links, and that a deficiency of nitrogen is the weak link of the chain by which the crop, in due proportion, will be diminished. An injudicious advocacy of the good effects to be de- rived from nitrate of soda, on the part of many writers, has had a decided effect upon those who have not studied chemical fertilizer problems to induce them to jump at the conclusion that it will insure a profitable increase of crops regardless of the needs of the soil. Nitrogen (it may well be repeated) is neither more nor less valuable to the farmer or gardener than is either potash or phosphate. It is far more costly and, while the phosphate and potash remain in the soil for subsequent crops if not used up by the current crop, nitrate of soda, unless supplied in repeated doses, often fails to carry a late crop through to maturity. The plots (23 in number) were planted April 26, by the trench method, so often described. The variety was the Rural Blush, the fertilizer was the Mapes, with the following analysis : PN oobso(Ol0y lain Gigs aero. cs 6 weno dra & 4.50 to 5 percent. IPhosphoriciacidte yeas Seto LOp ee Po tashtion actrees oe 6 to 8 a , Bushels G per acre. Plot 1. Nomtertiliz eriotcanys kindse.yscci-ist tee cole ZO TASC noes ee 440 lbs. potato fertilizer to the acre.......... 214.50 te : a a ct ay and 3 ane L ze er 249538 55 ‘‘ totheacre of nitrate of soda J ae 5 40 ** tato fertili d 4 a aap ea alae tae sear nae RR meer aA ect 249.33 I1o ‘‘ nitrate of soda j Tea a 440 f potato fertilizerand J) 284.17 220 nitrate of soda j Eee oy ae tato fertili d age pe Sete a eee t Paresstatranistciene 309.83 330 ‘‘ nitrate of soda In the above experiment it is plain that the yield increases (with one exception, when they are the saine) as the quantity of nitrate of soda increases. It must be borne in mind that but 440 pounds to the acre of the potato fertilizer was used in any one of the above six trials. The Use of Nitrogen. 97 Bushels per acre. Plote 77: Nowtentilizeriot mauys kind steer oto ee > oe 260. LS etek 880 lbs. potato fertilizer and » 207. 55 ‘‘ nitrate of soda ‘ ate Ny) 880 ‘ potatofertilizerand ) OS 110 ‘‘ nitrate of soda <8 FO: 880 ‘* potatofertilizerand » Pre 220 ‘‘ nitrate of soda \ Sh SeeLT: 880 ‘‘ potato fertilizer and | sgltins. san 330 ‘' nitrate of soda \ hee Sng ter) 880 ‘‘ potato fertilizer wthout any i nitrate of soda fF Tate ec Here it would appear that there are indications that the larger amount of potato fertilizer gave the crop nearly all the nitrogen needed, since 880 lbs., without additional nitrate, gave as large a yield (315 bushels) as did the addition of 110 lbs. of nitrate of soda, asin plot 9. Itis true that plot 10, with 220 lbs. of nitrate, gives the heaviest yield, offset by the yield of plot 11, which received 330 lbs., yielding but 308 bushels. Bushels a2 é per acre. Plot 13. 1,320 lbs. potato fertilizer, no nitrate of Ore | acon soda WG) TW Grae fo) MUG otato fertilizer and 4 3 4 Pe Riley AN 403.33 55 nitrate of soda j fo trem sao. otato fertilizer and 5 3 » s ree cos a ae 375.83 IIo nitrate of soda j ‘16. 1,320. ‘' potato fertilizerand ) ¥ ST SRA See aceis Sone rod 396. 220 nitrate of soda j Ce enee 2O. ©: otato fertilizer and 7 3 ‘| or meaty: Spa etctae 353-83 330 nitrate of soda The above results, as will be seen, are contradictory. It is evi- dent that 1,320 lbs. of the potato fertilizer should furnish, of itself, all the nitrogen which the crop could use. Nevertheless, an addition of 55 lbs. to the acre of nitrate of soda gives the largest yield of any. Larger quantities seem to reduce the yield more or less, though the addition of 220 lbs. gives the next heaviest yield. On a different part of the field, where the land is a trifle lighter and apparently more uniform, nitrate of soda in varying quantities was used without any potato fertilizer. The following are the results: P.—7 98 The New Potato Culture. Bushels per aere. Plot; 1876, "55 lbs. ‘of mitrateiol Sadazsana. neko ete e 403.33 a ike fo | ana oy a OMS ere ereua te force ler era cieen fosta0s 302.50 ue ZONE 22 Okan ny Hea RO ace Bec ee OOioe 352 se 2B OM vs HR AP OLO Oo na Ola O OR AGO 315 Here it will be seen that the small amount of 55 lbs. to the acre of nitrate of soda, without any potato fertilizer, gave as large a yield as plot 14, which received the same amount of nitrate of soda and 1,320 lbs. of the potato fertilizer. In the two following experiments a fertilizer high in ammonia, 7.50 per cent ; high also in potash, 10.50 per cent, but low in phosphoric acid, 4.50 per cent., was tried. The results were as follows : Bushels per acre. loth hag dolibsxtowtheacnretne.. act weer Geran ae er 279. eas oy 880 ‘ ss Pe Weaa, 5 Met res ene cece tee ten ORR Le fa haw S 330. SUMMARY. We may summarize in this way: Average of plots that did not receive either potato fertilizer or nitrate of soda alone, 233.75 bushels to the acre. With 440 lbs. of potato fertilizer, nitrate of soda, from 55 to 330 Ibs. to the acre, increased the yield over the no-fertilizer plots 39.41 bushels per acre. With 880 lbs. of potato fertilizer, nitrate of soda, from 55 to 330 Ibs. to the acre, increased the yield over the no-fertilizer plots 87.50 bushels per acre, or but 6.25 bushels over the plot which received the same amount of potato fertilizer (880 lbs.) without nitrate of soda. With 1,320 lbs. of fertilizer, nitrate of soda from 55 to 330 lbs. to the acre, increased the yield over the no-fertilizer plots 148.50 bushels to the acre; or 35.65 bushels over the plot which received the 1,320 Ibs. of fertilizer alone. The results of the above experiments would seem, though in a feeble way, to justify Mr. Harris's conclusions that the potato fertili- zers of to-day are too low in nitrogen. Still we would as urgently as ever advise farmers not to depend upon nitrogen for a profitable in- crease of crops, but rather to see to it that the land is well supplied The Use of Nitrogen. 99 with minerals, and to experiment with the costly nitrogen, using on different portions of the same field, as we have done, all the way from 55 to 320 lbs. to the acre—an experiment which, conducted on small plots, involves neither much trouble nor expense. Remember that what you do not recover of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia in the crops of the season, you will never recover. But the phos- phates and potash that one crop may not use will remain for the next. GHA PoP Bak: Del Sundry Experiments. POTATO CULTURE IN HALF-BARRELS. EMENT barrels were sawed through the centre and the half- e barrels, or kegs, used. Beauty of Hebron Potatoes, of equal weight, were selected for seed and cut in halves, the seed-end-half alone being used. They were planted in the morning of April ro. No. t. Pure Sand.—Seed piece planted six inches deep. This keg (half-barrel) gave the strongest, tallest plants, and the leaves were the darkest color of any. July 18, the tops being dead, the barrel was broken apart, leaving the sand the shape of the barrel so that the tubers and roots could be carefully examined. The roots pene- trated to every portion of the sand. The box was watered with | horse-manure water, and small quantities of nitrate of soda, dissolved bone and potash were sprinkled upon the surface of the sand and scratched in. The tubers of the yield weighed 45% ounces. They were 35 in number, of the average size of hens’ eggs and uniformly so. Eight of the best weighed one pound. All were clean, bright and smooth. ‘The seed piece was so decayed that little but the skin remained. No. 2. Garden Soil,.—Seed piece planted four inches deep. Watered as often as needed with rain water. Yield, 40 ounces. There were 43 tubers, one larger than in No. 1. Eight of the best weighed 12 ounces. Tubers not so shapely or smooth. Roots penetrated to every part of the soil. Seed piece quite decayed. No. 3. Three- Quarters Garden Soil, One- Quarter Sand.—The seed piece was placed upon the soil and covered with the sand. Watered (100) Sundry Experiments. IOI with rain water. The yield was 21 ounces, 38 tubers. The best eight weighed 10% ounces. Clean and shapely, as in No. 1. Seed piece decayed. No. 4. Three-OQuarters Garden Soil, One- Quarter Cut Straw.—The seed piece was placed upon the soil and the halt-barrel filled with the straw. Watered withrainwater. The yield was 11 ounces. Twenty clean, shapely tubers formed almost in a ball about the seed piece, which still retained its form plump and solid, and was still pushing new buds. Upon cutting it open, the flesh was watery and semi- translucent, as if exhausted of starch. This seed piece which, as above stated, was the seed-end-half of Beauty of Hebron, was cutin two and each piece again planted in the garden, but the sprouts, if indeed any grew, did not appear above the soil. The roots of this barrel penetrated to every portion of both the soil and straw. THE THREE BARRELS. On April roth, 1889, three barrels of the same size were provided with perfect drainage, and filled to within 16 inches of the top with garden loam and sand—half and half—thoroughly mixed. While mixing the sand and loam together, potato fertilizer was added—one quarter of a pound to each barrel. In the first barrel a single tuber (medium size) of seedling No. 2 was placed upon the loam and sand, being 16 inches below the top of the barrel. In the second barrel a single tuber of the same size, of seedling No. 3 was similarly placed. A single tuber of the seedling No. 4, of the same size, was placed in the third barrel. These potatoes were then covered with about three inches of the same sand, loam and fertilizer, the distance from the top of the soil being now about 13 inches. As the shoots of the growing potatoes appeared above the surface, more soil and sand were added, until the barrels were filled to within an inch of the top, and the tops were then allowed to grow as they would, being atlength supported by a platform raised to the height of the barrels. The seed was planted April 10, and the shoots of all three appeared above the soil May 18, there being scarcely ten hours difference. Planted 16 inches deep, where would the tubers form ; near the bot- tom, midway, orin tiers from the bottom to the top? This is what the experiment was designed to show. It was also designed to show 102 The New Potato Culture. the root and tuber-forming growth of plants raised under these peculiar conditions. The plants were watered as water was needed. It was not necessary to apply poison, as the potato beetles seemed to prefer a lower plane. Inthe earlier part of the season the leaves showed no flea-beetle perforations, and few were seen upon them. Later they injured the leaves as much as those growing in the plots near by. This is noted because it has been stated that the cucumber flea-beetle confines itself to within a foot or so of the ground. It was the design to have sawed the barrels lengthwise, in halves, and to have removed the soil and sand just as the vines began to show maturity, but while yet the potatoes would cling to the stems. Thus the root and tuber-bearing systems could have been well shown after the sand and soil had been carefully washed out by the use of a hand-pump and hose. The vines ‘ blighted, ’’ however, in mid- July and were quite dry and dead before the services of a photo- grapher could be secured. The cut shows fairly well in what part of the barrel the tubers grew, apparently from 4 to 12 inches below the surface, yet while washing out the sand and soil, several fell from their places. The reader must bear in mind that back of those shown in the illustration, other potatoes were covered and concealed in the sand and soil. The yield was as follows: No. 2 yielded 13 marketable potatoes, 8 small and 2 rotten, weighing six pounds. The decayed tubers were not weighed or taken in the account. Allowing three square feet to the hill, as in field cul- ture, the yield would be 1,452 bushels to the acre. No. 3 blighted earlier than the others and the yield was 20 very small potatoes weighing 14 ounces. No. 4 yielded 13 marketable and 3 small tubers. Not less than ten were rotten and not estimated. They weighed 4% pounds. SEED PIECES VARIOUSLY TREATED. Test No. 26. Queen of the Valley was cut to two-eye pieces and placed in a spade-wide furrow, or trench, four inches deep in mellow garden soil. They were then covered lightly with soil and the furrow nearly covered with straw. On this, chemical potato fertilizer was thrown at the rate of 500 pounds to the acre, and the furrow was then Fic. t. THE THREE BARRELS. 104 The New Potato Culture. leveled with soil. The yield was 907.50 bushels to the acre.. Best five weighed six and one-quarter pounds. Large and small, 135,520 to the acre, or 94 tubers to the hill. Test No. 27. Same variety, planted in the same way as in No. 26. The pieces were covered lightly with soil, then with a liberal spread of hen manure, which was covered lightly with soil; then a second spread of hen manure, and finally the furrow was filled with soil. The yicld was at the rate of 705.83 bushels to the acre. Best five, four pounds one ounce. Large and small, 116,160 to the acre. Test No. 28. Planted as above, and a heavy spread of salt— 4o bushels to the acre—strewn over the pieces, which were first lightly covered with soil. The seed pieces rotted in the ground. Test No. 30. These were manured with chemical fertilizers at the rate of 1,000 pounds to the acre without straw mulch. The yield was 665.50 bushels to the acre. Best five, five pounds. Large and small, 101,640 to the acre, or seven potatoes to the hill. Test No. 31. These pieces (Peerless, as in Nos. 29 and 30) were covered lightly with soil, and the trench filled with stable manure (the same as No. 26 was filled with cut straw). No fertilizer was used. The yield was 907.25 bushels to the acre. Best five weighed three pounds eight and one-half ounces. Large and small, 217,800 to the acre, or an average of 15 to the hill. This yield was about the same as in No. 26, but the potatoes were smaller and much in- jured by wire-worms. Test No. 32. These pieces (Peerless) were first covered with soil lightly, then salt at the rate of 15 bushels to the acre, then a mulch of stable manure as in No. 31 ; then a spread of hen manure, at the rate of 20 bushels to the acre, and finally unleached ashes at the rate of 15 bushels to the acre. The object of this trial was to ascertain, first, whether a surfeit of manure would increase the yield, and sec- ond, whether the salt would have any effect to keep wire-worms away, as compared with No. 31, which received only stable manure. The yield was 826.83 bushéls to the acre. Best five, five pounds. Large and small, 179,080 to the acre, or 12} to the hill. They were eaten as badly as in test No. 31. Sundry Experiments. 105 A NEW WAY TO MULCH POTATOES—VALLEY MULCHING. Mulching potatoes is sometimes very successful, and at other times useless, or harmful. The effect depends upon the soil or season. When the early spring is backward and wet, the mulch keeps the soil cold; the seed pieces are delayed in sprouting and an imperfect stand is the result. What is wanted is a mulch that will conserve moisture and yet not intercept the warming rays of the sun. The ‘‘ valley” system it was thought might accomplish this. Whether it is practi- cable or profitable, we are not prepared to say. The soil (an impoverished, sandy loam) was plowed, raked and leveled the same as if grass seed were to be sown, as shown by line a, Figure 2. The seed pieces (two eyes) were then placed on the soil one foot apart in rows three feet apart, as shown at 6, These pieces were then lightly covered with soil hoed from between the rows (1, 2, 3,) and at the rate of 1,000 pounds per acre of Baker’s potato fertilizer strewn evenly over it. Then more soil was hoed over the fertilizer until continuous hills five inches high were formed, as shown at c, forming the valleys, as shown at 4, 5, 6. The valleys were then filled with a mulch of coarse straw and hay that had been raked up into cocks from a part of the field where it had lain all winter, thus partly filling the valleys, as shown by the dotted line. The design was that such plots were not to be cultivated during the whole season. If the mulching material is old, few seeds will sprout in the mulch, while those that sprout be- neath it will be smothered. The weeds that grow on top of the hills may be pulled up. But the vines very soon cover the hills, forming a shade not favorable to their growth. The yield of potatoes was 45 pounds, which was at the rate of 352 bushels to the acre, 60 per cent. of which were marketable as to size. If it were desirable to try this system on a large scale, a small plow run both ways, or a shovel plow, would serve to turn furrows over the pieces, leaving the valleys to be mulched. In the FG. 2. 106 The New Potato Culture, SECOND EXPERIMENT, which is by no means new, the pieces were placed on the top of the leveled soil as before, and the same kind of mulch spread over them five inches high directly over the pieces and sloping gradu- ally towards the other rows. Upon this mulch the same quantity of the same fertilizer was sown. The yield was at the rate of 330 bush- els to the acre. In this trial there were 316 tubers (45 pounds), of which 162 were of marketable size. Many, however, were injured by grubs of the May beetle and wire-worm. The next test was the trench-mulch system, using the same quantity of the same fertilizer. The yield was 316 potatoes (31} pounds) of which 156 were marketa- ble. This was at the rate of 276.83 bushels to the acre. Another trench without mulch, and fertilized with the same manure, at the rate of 1,200 pounds to the acre, yielded at the rate of 278.66 bushels, there being 314 tubers (38 pounds), 146 marketable. The fertility of the soil is shown approximately by the yield of two trenches that were not fertilized. The first yielded 162 potatoes (12; pounds) of which 54 were of marketable size, though very scabby. This is at the rate of but 91.66 bushels to the acre. The second un- fertilized trench yielded 156 tubers (153 pounds) of which 60 were mar- ketable as to size, but much injured by scab, This is at the rate of 113.66 bushels to the acre. The average yield of the unmanured trenches was 102.66 bushels tothe acre. The trench (not mulched) which received 1,200 pounds of fertilizer yielded at the rate of 278.66, an increase over the unfer- tilized trenches of 176 bushels. The trench which was mulched (trench-mulch plan) and given 1,000 pounds of fertilizer gave an in- crease over unmanured plots of 174.18 bushels ; the surface mulch- ing an increase of 228.66 bushels, and the ‘‘ valley” mulching an in- crease of 250.66 bushels to the acre. The philosophy of the method seems sensible enough. About a foot of soil in width directly over the pieces is without any mulch, and the mellow, loose soil receives the air, the sun’s rays and the rain, while the mulch in the valleys should assist in retaining the moisture so received for the benefit of the roots until the growth of the tops covers all. Sundry Experiments. 107 DOUBTS EXPRESSED AS TO REPORTED YIELDS. When in 1882, I reported that several of the potatoes tested yielded at the rate of over 700 bushels per acre, several friends, as previously intimated, wrote that they doubted the fact. One said that he had raised potatoes all his life, and that he considered himself a good farmer, yet he had never harvested 400 bushels from anacre. Were we to judge alone from my farm experience ‘in the sandy soil of my Long Island (N. Y.) farm, I should be ready to share the doubts of this correspondent. There we have never raised a large crop of pota- ‘toes, though we have tried over 100 different kinds, and raised them under different methods of cultivation, and with ditferent manures. Later, as previous mention has been made, we were both surprised and pleased at the quantity of potatoes, which, it was found, could be raised upon our New Jersey experiment plots. Many trials have proved utter or partial failures, as was to have been expected ; still in many cases we have harvested at the rate of over 700 bushels to the acre ; in quite a number over 800 bushels; in six or eight cases over goo ; in three over 1,000; in one case over 1,100 bushels, and finally, in another over 1,800. METHOD OF COMPUTING YIELDS. The method of computing yields is a simple and, as will be seen, an entirely accurate one. The only way in which it differs from field yields, is that every hill is counted. There is no allowance made for vacant hills, which always occur upon large areas. That is to say, if we plant 20 pieces and but 10 grow, we estimate the yield by 10 hills—not by 20. As arule, however, every piece planted grows, so that generally there are no changes to be made. Upon ro acres of the same land, manured, planted and cultivated in the same way and to the same variety of potato, we should of course look for essentially the same yield. The method of computing the yield is as follows : The pieces are always placed by measure just one foot apart in drills three feet apart. A cord with knots in which short strings are tied one foot apart, is stretched over each drill its entire length. The seed pieces are placed under these marks. With pieces placed one foot apart in drills three feet apart, we should have 14,520 pieces to the acre. 108 The New Potato Culture. Now if weplant 20 pieces, and the yield is 50 pounds, the rule of three will give the yield per acre in pounds. This must be divided by 60, the legal number of pounds for a bushel of potatoes, and the answer gives the yield per acre, viz., 605 bushels. The yield is weighed upon nicely balanced scales placed near the plots, and cach kind is weighed as soon as harvested, and the weight, even to the quarter of an ounce, and the number of potatoes, large and small, are recorded at once. In ordinary experiments of this kind, aliquot parts of an acre are desirable for easy computation. THE BEST DISTANCE APART FOR SINGLE EYES. The following experiments were made in 1881 to ascertain what distance apart potato ‘‘ seeds,’’ cut to single eyes, should be planted in order to produce the best yield of marketable potatoes. Each test row was but 33 feet in length; the variety planted was Beauty of Hebron. An old sod was plowed under in the winter of 1880. The land was well prepared the following spring. The seed pieces were placed in shallow furrows, three feet apart, May 18, and upon thema slight sprinkling of concentrated potato fertilizer was strewn. The soil was then hoed back so that the entire plot was quite level. The same fertilizer at the rate of 300 pounds per acre was afterwards spread broadcast, just previous to the first cultivation. That the yield was light in every case was no doubt due to the fact that the season was unfavorable to the potato crop, being very dry in the early, and too wet in the later part. ONE EYE IN A PLACE—ALL THE DRILLS 33 FEET IN LENGTH. 18 pieces, weighing 12 ounces. Yield 24 pounds. (18 pieces in a drill 33 feet long would be 22 inches apart.) 20 pieces, weighing 14 ounces. Yield 14% pounds. (This row was harmed by moles.) 25 pieces, weighing 14 ounces. Yield 2514 pounds. 28 a ns TAU panne 20K = 30 us ae 18 se HD 2: eS 33 ss ee 22 Ube of ow oe 40 au a 23 oe Me BO ss AQ) "i" oy 26 a NSA ‘ (6%6) oe “ 32 oe se 314 oe Sundry Experiments, 1fere) TWO PIECES, EACH HAVING BUT ONE EYE, PUT CLOSE TOGETHER IN DRILLS 33 FEET IN LENGTH. 40 pieces, weighing 22 ounces. Yield 24% pounds. (Nearly 10 inches apart.) 50 pieces, weighing 24 ounces. Yield 27 “ 60 pieces, weighing 28 ounces. Yield 24% ‘' 66 pieces, weighing 34 ounces. Yield254% “' THREE PIECES (SINGLE EYES) PUT CLOSE TOGETHER IN DRILLS 33 FEET IN LENGTH. 48 pieces, weighing 22 ounces. Yield 18 pounds. (Injured by moles.) 75 pieces, weighing 4o ounces. Yield 24 e go pieces, weighing 42 ounces. Yield 24 cF The average size of the last was much. smaller than any of the others. FOUR PIECES PUT CLOSE TOGETHER IN DRILLS 33 FEET LONG. 64 pieces, weighing 33 ounces. Yield 24 pounds. FIVE PIECES CLOSE TOGETHER—DRILL 33 FEET. 80 pieces, weighing 36 ounces. Yield 27 ounces. On comparing the various products (but omitting such as were injured by moles), it appears that in the two poorest rows the average number of pieces was 35, and the average product 20% pounds, making the yield per acre equivalent to 150 bushels. It will also be seen that in the best row the number of pieces was 66, with a yield of 31% pounds, making the rate per acre 225 bushels. Taking the average rate per acre for all the rows together, we find it equalto 184 bushels, with 50 pieces in each row, and for the five best rows 209 bushels per acre, with an average of 64 pieces per row. Now to show in what way, and to what extent the spaces in plant- ing affect the yield, we have the following figures: | Bushels per acre. 35 pieces per row represent a yield of about................ 159 Bone He Cf DOS TERMS Ug AN came Galt 184 Gai Kv 4 ve AGO OOGSSS OGIO b 209 Gomree® Se me oy Sole eoleler spats sishefeleretis= ts 225 I1O The New Fotato Culture. IN OTHER .WORDS, The distance apart for 150 bushels per acre was nearly 12 inches. 6e ce oe ce 184 “ ce oe 8 t¢ a ce iG ee 209 “ce 6 oe 7 ce be “c “ se 225 a a was just 6 ay In another view also, this result is further confirmed, for if we take the closest planting above given (which is six inches in the row), it shows an area of 216 square inches for each single eye, which is space enough for a much larger yield than either of the above. TESTS WITH DIFFERENT NUMBERS OF EYES TO A PIECE. No. &3v. Variety planted, the Improved Peachblow. Single strong eyes, one by three feet apart. Yield, 171.45 bushels per acre. Large and small, 33,880—a very large average size. No small pota- toes. Best five, 2 pounds 11% ounces. No. 84v. Two strong eyes in one piece. Yield, 252 bushels per acre. Large and small, 50,820 to the acre. Best five, 2 pounds 8% ounces. No. 85v. Three strong eyes to apiece. Yield, 292.50 bushels per acre. Large and small, 50,810 to the acre. Best five weighed 2 pounds 13% ounces. No. 86v. Four strong eyes to a piece. Yield, 322.66 bushels per acre. Large and small, 62,920. Best five weighed 3 pounds 3% ounces. Single strong eyes of White Star gave a yield atthe rate of 171.45 bushels ; two strong eyes, 252 bushels ; three strong eyes, 282.50 ; four strong eyes, 322.86. DIFFERENT SIZED PIECES WITHOUT REGARD TO NUMBER OF EYES. Trench No. 1. Rather small potatoes were cut into four pieces. Yield per acre, 230.41 bushels. There were 193 marketable potatoes and 56 small. The vines were rated June 27, as six, 10 being best. Trench No. 2. Half potatoes were used inthistrench. The yield per acre was at the rate of 256.66 bushels. There were 165 market- able—282 very small, none very large. The vines were rated June 27 0S Six: Sundry Experiments. III Trench No. 3. Whole Potatoes.—The yield per acre was at the rate of 278.66 bushels, of which 236 were marketable and 310 small. It will be seen that whole seed gave 48 bushels per acre more than quarter pieces and 22 bushels more than half pieces. But the num- ber of unmarketable potatoes increased with the size of the seed— the whole pieces giving the greatest number, the half pieces next and the quarter pieces fewest. POTATO SKINS CUT TO SINGLE EYES. May 26th were planted in well prepared ground, 37 pieces of po- tato skius—each having a single strong eye—six inches apart in the drill. The 37 pieces weighed two ounces. Threé grew, and the yield was half a dozen potatoes as large as marbles. The experiment was made to test the value of a positive assertion on the part of a ‘‘ well known” farm writer that such eyes would yield as well as those to which flesh is attached. EXPERIMENT TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH FLESH EACH EYE SHOULD HAVE WHEN PLANTED TO PRODUCE THE MOST PROFITABLE CROP. Test 46 A. The seed potatoes were selected all of the same size, and peeled, all eyes being cut off except the strongest near the mid- dle—that is, whole potatoes were peeled so that but one eye was left with a ring of skin about it. It would be equivalent to cutting out all the eyes but one, and then planting the whole potato as if it were a seed piece with a single strong eye. The variety was the Peerless; the amount of chemical potato fertilizer used was 1,000 pounds to the acre. They were planted one piece (four inches deep) every foot in trenches (spade wide) three feet apart ; cultiva- tion flat. Theyield was at the rate of 806.66 bush- els to the acre. The best five weighed 3 pounds 3 ounces. There were of large and small potatoes at the rate of 140,560 to the acre, or 9% to a hill. Test 47 A. The pieces were cut as shown by figure 3, and of that size. They were planted, as in 46 A, three inches deep. So many of the pieces either failed to sprout, or died after the sprouting, that no estimate could be made of the yield per acre. 112 The New Potato Culture. Test 48 A. In this test cylindrical pieces were cut through the po- tato as shown at Fig. 4, with a strong eye upon one end, and planted four inches deep. The yield was at the rate of 211.75 bushels to the acre. Of large and small there were at the rate of 87,120 potatoes to the acre, or sixto a hill. In order to ascertain how much flesh should be left to an eye or to the eyes of seed pieces, it would doubtless be necessary to repeat the tests hundreds of times in different soils, and with dif- erent varieties. ‘‘ Enough is as good as a feast,’ but what would be enough in a wet spring might prove tco little in a dry one; what might serve in a rich soil might prove insufficient in a poor soil. The quantity of flesh which should go with each piece, is, theoretically, that which without unnecessary waste, will best support the eyes until, by the growth of the roots, support from the flesh is no longer required. SEED END @vs. STEM END IN A RICH SOIL. * The seed end of Early Rose yielded 710.82 bushels to the acre. Largest five weighed 2 pounds 9g} ounces. Large and small, 214,170 to the acre, or 14} to the hill. The shoots ap- peared before those of the stem-end seed, and the tops were nearly twice as large. The stem end of Early Rose yielded at the rate of 620.10 bushels totheacre. Best five, 3 pounds 8} ounces. Large and small, 170,610, or 11% to the hill. The seed end of the Rural Blush yielded 282.33 bushels to the acre. Best five weighed 1 pound 6 ounces. Large and small, 116,- 120 to the acre, or 8toahill. The shoots appeared before those of the stem end. The stem end yielded 937.71 bushels to the acre. Best five, 2 pounds 53 ounces. Large and small, 232,320 tothe acre or 16 toa hill. The seed end of the Queen of the Valley yielded 363 bushels to the acre. Best five weighed 2 pounds 153 ounces. Large and small, Sundry Experiments. {13 67,760 to the acre, or over 4} to a hill. The shoots appeared before those of the stem end. The stem end of Queen of the Valley yielded 393-21 bushels to the acre. Best five, 4 pounds 13 ounce. Large and small, 72,600 to the acre. Judging from these tests alone, we should se/ec¢t the stem end of the Blush and Queen of the Valley, and seed end for the Early Rose, ex- cept that in the latter case the potatoes averaged smaller. The seed potatoes were cut in halves, one for the seed, the other for the stem end. It would appear that with some varieties it is better to plant stem ends, and such tests should be made with every variety. SHALL THE DISTANCE APART OF THE SEED PIECES PLANTED BE PROPORTIONATE TO THE SIZE OF THE SEED? Mr. T. B. Terry, in commenting upon the experiments made by several stations, as well as by myself, which seemed to show that small (one or two-eye) pieces were not profitable, expressed the opin- ion that experimenters should plant small seed closer together, in order to make the condition:; equal. We were, therefore, induced to resume our trials during the past season (1890), in the hope of throw- ing more light upon this really important problem. As a single ex- periment it is not worth much except as continued trials, season after season, in different land and with different varieties, may confirm the outcome, and give data for generalizations. All the potatoes used for seed were of medium size. It may be said that the tubers from the whole seed were smaller than those from any of the smaller seed. The record showing the comparative size was unfortunately lost. This trial was made in an impoverished soil of a clay loam, fertil- ized with 1,000 lbs. to the acre of the Mapes potato fertilizer, of which ananalysis has been given on previous pages. The pieces were placed in trenches four inches deep, and three feet apart measuring from the middle of each, on a plot of one-fortieth of an acre—33 feet square. It will be seen that we have on this plot 1,089 square feet, which divided by three gives 363 seed pieces, if planted one foot apart in the trenches. No. I. 132 pieces, single eyes, yielded at the rate of 187 bushels per acre. The pieces were placed three inches apart. p.—8 114 The New Potato Culture. No. 2. 66 pieces, single eyes, yielded at the rate of 209 bushels to the acre. The pieces were placed six inches apart. No. 3. 66 two-eye pieces, yielded at the rate of 227.33 bushels to the acre. The pieces were placed six inches apart. No. 4. 33 half potatoes, yielded at the rate of 227.33 bushels to the acre, the same as plot No. 3. The half potatoes were placed one foot apart. No. 5. 33 whole potatoes, yielded at the rate of 282.33 bushels to the acre. The tubers were placed one foot apart. It appears, therefore, that whole potatoes of medium size, placed one foot apart, in trenches three feet apart, yielded over 95 bushels per acre more than single eye pieces placed three inches apart; 73 bushels more than single eye pieces placed six inches apart, and 55 bushels an acre more than either two-eye pieces or half potatoes. GILAPTER AE. Size of Seed. Generalizations. Habit of the variety to be considered. Small seed of some kinds—Large of others. No positive rule can be given. Illustrations. The loss from missing bills. Underground development. Rela- tions between few eyes and long joints. ‘Bushy and ‘*Jeggy’’ vines. True roots and tuber-bearing stems. THE SIZE OF SEED. IG. 5 shows how potatoes usually sprout in a dark cellar when not in contact with other potatoes or with any damp substances. It will be seen that the buds (‘‘eyes’’) of the ‘¢seed-end’’ have alone sprouted. We have found that in many varieties these are the only buds which do push, either in the cellar or when planted. The ‘‘ eyes” of the other parts seem ‘‘ blind ”’ orimpotent. The pieces rot in the ground. With other varieties every ‘‘ eye’’ will sprout, though those of the ‘‘ seed-end ”’ are almost always the strongest and the first to sprout. Hence it would appear that the size of the ‘‘ seed”’ to be planted should be determined by the habit, so to speak, of the variety and not by any fixed rule to use one, two, three eyes, half or whole seed. Hence it is, too, that reports of experiments to settle this vexed ques- tion are so contradictory. We will guarantee that an experiment of this kind with my No. 2 Seedling would show that one-quarter of each tuber, including the ‘‘seed-end’’ would give a greater yield than three-quarters of the tuber without the ‘‘seed-end.’’ And we are further confident that if the seed of this variety were cut in halves, one-half being ‘‘seed-end”’ the other ‘‘ stem-end,” the stem halves (115) 116 The New Potato Culture. would fail to sprout in about six cases out of seven. Again, if we were using Wall’s Orange or any otner similar variety hav- ing many and prominent eyes, we should reject the seed-end and cut the rest to two or three eyes, depending upon the size of the seed tubers. The loss of the yield from ** missing ”’ hills is not well con- sidered. In many a thrifty field of potatoes it is not un- common to find 20 per cent. of missing hills. One-fifth of the crop is thus sacrificed ; or if the actual yield be 200 bushels to the acre, the loss would be 50 bushels. ABSURD NAMES. Why call the ends of the potato ‘‘seed” and ‘‘stem”’ ends ? These parts might bet- ter be called the top and bot- tom, since they are the top and bottom of a potato, the same as there is a top and bottom or an apex and base to a leaf, toa twig ora branch. We might even better say ‘“‘butt” and ‘*tip,” as of the ear of corn. The seed-end of a potato is just as much the top of a po- tato as the topmost bud on a branch is the tip or top, and the stem end is the bottom or base, simply because it is the lowest portion. As in any Fie. 5 Potato Seed and Vines. E17 rooted cutting and as in most established plants, the top buds swell and grow first; so the ‘‘ eyes” of the ‘‘seed”’ or the top of the potato push first. POTATO GROWTH. In my poor way I have studied during late years the underground Ng Er ay Ln PS 5 ee Fic. 6: devclopment of the potato dur- ing its scvcral stages from the sprouting of the sced piece to the development of the tubers, and would ask my readers’ patience while I endeavor to explain it as best I may. It scems that the distance between the joints of a potato vine (nodes) as well as the dis- tance between the eyes, or nodes, or joints, of the under- ground shoot is proportionate to the zumber of eyes on a potato (—their nearness together. iV ‘That is to say, few-eyed pota- \ toes will give a vine with fewer ‘ joints (longer internodes) than _ many-eyed potatoes. Suppos- ing this to be true, one would infer that the fewer-eyed tuber would give the greatest length of vine and the least compact or bushy habit. A many-eyed potato would give closer-joint- ed stems and a greater propor- tionate amount of foliage. To a certain extcnt, therefore, the number of eyes of a given vari- ety is a guzde both to the ds- tance apart to plant and the depth to plant. 118 The New Potato Culture. The first true roots issue not from the seed potato in any case, but from around the eye or bud; from the growing shoot, which is the de- velopment of the eye or bud. These underground shoots make an r~ effort to produce leaves at their nodes or joints ' which, being underground, die. From their axils the true fibrous roots grow which support the plant. From every node or joint, also, issue stems which \ at their ends ¢zcken or may thicken into tubers. Above-ground leaves develop at the nodes or joints, and between them and 3 the main stem (that is in the iN axil) secondary stems or L iy ; i. : bb A\ Ss. branches grow. Under- LA ground, the Zaf is suppressed — iy and we have a leafless stem or slender shoot (provided with eyes or buds all the same) which at the tip or fust behind it enlarges to orm the tuber. The tip it- self is a suppressed leaf, and the suppression seems to 77- _duce the swelling of the stem. Fig, 6 (p. 217). *shows a seed potato which I lifted from a six-inch trench just be- ae be fore the sprouts had reached i the surface soil. It will be seen that fibrous roots have grown from all the lower Fic. 7. nodes of the shoots, and that the tuber-bearing nodes have not yet developed. Fig. 7 shows a potato taken from a barrel of potatoes in the cellar. The potatoes were moist and decaying, which gave the conditions essential for the growth of fibrous roots the same as if it were growing in the soil. Now if this condition of moisture and decay had not existed, the shoots would be like those of Figure 5, and they would continue to grow until the seed or parent tuber became exhausted of its nutriment. In Potato Seed and Vines. be ee) a lighter place leaves would grow from the nodes, but neither fibrous roots nor tuber-bearing stems would appear. What we want is to provide those conditions economically that shall induce the greatest number of nodes to send out fibrous roots and tuber-bearing stems. In the usual system of . raising potatoes, they are plant- Fia. 8. In the Hill. (Ideal.) ed in V-shaped furrows scarcely three ¢_—> inches deep and covered; they are cul- 7 ip ene tivated both ways and usually hilled up. © L4, a N F. f i a We have tried to show that the sprout i, Re A: which is the growth of the ‘‘eye” “Tati Tin in changes into green leaves and vines eae Vy : above the ground in the air and sun- SAY) bo” ' light, and that below it remains of a ! whitish color and sends forth roots and ! J t ' i i tuber-bearing stems. In the old method H| ns all the tubers must form in a compara- ie tively narrow, cramped space. Be- tween the seed-piece and the air there is but a length of perhaps three inches of stem—the portion which is to fur- nish the fibrous roots for the plant's support. Thereis, withal, only a single node or so, or several crowded together, and it is from these that the tuber- bearing stems issue. The plant may coe eR wen www ee eee I Oe SSS ; : : Fic. 9. give a great amount of foliage, but it "The Trench. (Ideal.) 120 The New Potato Culture. cannot give a maximum amount of tubers, because the space for them to grow is too limited. In the trench the conditions are different. The seed-pieces are four, five, or even six, inches below the surface and three or four nodes, well separated, send out their fibrous roots and tuber-bearing stems. The root system is thrice as great. Itis as if there were three or four tiers, or planes, for the growth of pota- toes, a virtual extension of the area planted, the same as a ten-story house may occupy the same area of ground as a one-story house. Food is supplied in abundance. The roots grow deep and help to carry the plants through droughts. This they cannot so well do in shallower planting, being nearer the surface and more at the mercy of heat and droughts. Fig. 10 (p. 121) shows a Thorburn (early) potato carefully lifted June 12; it was planted May 2. It will be seen that several tubers are beginning to form, while others are an inch or more in diameter. Some of the roots were thus early eighteen inches in length. In the old way these roots would have extended for the most part laterally on either side of the furrow or hill, having no mellow trench soil to go down into and spread out in all directions. In the trench the roots grow from the bottom as well as near the top. They prefer to go down, that being the easiest course ; while there too they find the most food and moisture. AGAIN, AS TO THE SIZE OF SEED-PIECES. I beg to remark here that my experiments during the past fifteen years ought to throw some light upon the important question of the size of seed. As a result, my belief is that no one can say or will ever be able to say, whether it is better to use whole potatoes or any given number of eyes, or sizes of pieces, as a guide for all potatoes and different soils. The number of sprouts desirable to have in a hill depends to a great extent upon the distance apart of the hills, and upon the vigor of the vines. Last year I dug up seed-pieces of different varieties planted ten days previously. Any one who will do this at such a time, will find that the size of the seed must be determined by the zwmber and vigor of the eyes. For example, the R. N.-Y. No. 2 has not only few eyes, but those of the seed-end alone were pushing, notwithstanding the seed potatoes had been exposed to the light and heat for a week or 122 The New Potato Culture. more before planting. Half pieces of this variety were planted My No. 3 has also few eyes, yet from every eye planted a sprout was growing. Does it not follow that smaller pieces of the No. 3 than of the No. 2 should be planted? The Everitt potato has many eyes, and a peculiarity is that all seem equally sensitive or ready to grow. Let us take 50 different varieties of potatoes—all of the same size —and cut them to two eyes. Weshall find that some of the varieties will give a perfect stand, and yield a large crop of marketable pota- avi toes, while others will give a very imper- fect stand and a poor yield. The same will be the case if whole seed is planted. Some varieties will send up a dozen shoots, others only a few. The yield of the one may be a large crop of small potatoes; of the other, a large crop of large potatoes. The farmer can judge what sized seed to plant, when he sees and knows his potato, how the seed has been kept, and how it will act in his soil, and not until then—and there is no ex- periment station that can tell him.* My experience has led me to answer all inquiries : ‘‘ Use large sized pieces con- taining two or three strong eyes,” and that is the nearest I can come to any fixed rule. The adviceto use ‘‘ whole seed”’ is very bad indeed. I feel assured if followed out with certain varieties, a yield of small tubers will result every time, while with other varieties the ad- vice may be as sound as a siiver dollar. The results at certain experiment stations, as well as my own, which show that the best yields come from whole seeds, prove simply that seed of some varieties, preserved in a certain way, and planted in a certain soil and situation, will give the largest crops for the particular varieties tried, and they prove nothing more. * Varieties of potatoes which grow so closely together that they may be thrown out with one turn ofthe fork have, and necessarily so, short tuber-bearing stems. In varieties like The Rural Blush, that ‘‘straggle,’’ the stem is long. This is shown at Fig.11. Thestem if straightened out would bea foot in length. CHAP TERA: Analysis of the tubers and vines. The effects of special or single fertilizers and in various combinations. The effects of *‘ Complete” fertilizers. Stimulants. Complete fertilizers not necessarily effective. A familiar talk with farmers. The result of 70 analyses of the tuber, by various chemists, em- bracing a great many varieties and modes of culture, are summed up in the following table : : Minimum. Maximum. Average. WAG Doha acacasnie avai tya Sie cers, = She's eee ere sie erste 68.29 82.88 ae, Nitrogenous substance........ 2) Os50 3.60 1.70 NGredentate mi kiodus © shreds oie esti cas 0.05 0.80 0.18 Non-nitrogenous extractive yo gala 26.57 ee substances, starch, sugar, etc. Uber crs rceteies Scrteehe late. calecee 0.27 1.40 0.75 ING etonidenouans CO aoe Fae Rae cecte 0.42 1.46 0.97 As the result of 53 analyses of the ash of the tuber, we have the following : Minimum. Maximum. Average. Otasbhiany ers et sborccsie)sis ayePavarnes Shaves nen ates 43.97 73.61 60.37 WO Gale rs: pia tense istn el eisnateration) srnateia vec e ae 0.00 16.93 2.62 1 Shade en INO AIST C MEMES Pechenegs 0.51 6.23 2.57 Nia pmesiat. ar ictaads ctayen site sieseais shacs ise 13.58 4.69 HerrichOxide tin ccnsoeaneanltees oes 0.04 7.18 1.18 Phosphoric acidis.cyayracte src Ceres re 8.39 27.14 T7235 Sul phnriciacid@ ren see crrrisde ee 0.44 14.89 6.49 SUM CC Deane setepevenetcvetel a/vefarsl fete tale ease, 0.00 8.LL Zale Chlorine 7. .ta isi tetclele erin « Sieiesa 0.85 10.75 3.11 124 The New Potato Culture. Six analyses of the /ofs give the following average results : Potash, 21.78; soda, 2.31; lime, 32.65 ; magnesia, 16.51 ; ferric oxide, 2.86; phosphoric acid, 7.89; sulphuric acid, 6.32; silica, 4.32; chlorine, 5.78. Potash and phosphoric acid are therefore predominating in- gredients of the ash of the tuber, and soda and silica are evidently quite unessential, since they may be entirely absent ; soda may also be wanting in the tops. From these figures it may be estimated that in a crop of 150 bushels, weighing 9,000 pounds, and 600 pounds of tops, we should re- move, of the three most valuable ingredients of plant-food, the quantities per acre given in the following table, omitting fractions. For the purpose of comparison, we give also the quantities of these three substances gathered by a crop of wheat, 25 bushels, and straw, 2,500 pounds; and of Indian corn, 50 bushels, stover 4,500 pounds, and cobs, 60 pounds. Nitrogen. Phos. Acid. Potash, Potatoes : AUST Selo sa cae ane onsiace voor 26 15 53 Ops aks cee ste wie enter ieeten ds 4 II MOLL. hens oneyar lcotaohe ieaciowerere taut 26 19 64 Wheat : GraIM rome Seve cyetitse le areonoven sons or: 30 o teat 8 Straw st Benes tise arcic aterets abs tale I2 6 17 Ste y tal os set we SSC ete oF ee 2 19 25 Indiankcormen Grain er steers as ec oeerselet 48 20 12 SLOV EL ea se ii-(oe Scio een eee = 22 2 41 (GON Sis 5, slo 6) atbiridlog oie Dio alr alote 2 4 Mota Nias tae eka ere eysake eteteternts 72 43 57 From these figures it appears that to produce the potato crop, potash is required in larger proportion than either nitrogen or phos- phoric acid, and that more is required for this crop than for either wheat or corn, notwithstanding that the latter is such a gross feeder. When we come to consider the comparative exhaustion of the soil by the two crops, remembering that of the corn crop, only the grain with 12 pounds of potash is liable to leave the farm, while of the potato crop the tubers, with 53 pounds of potash for every acre, are usually exported, the usefulness of potash manures in potato culture would appear to be very plainly indicated. To the quantity of nitrogen Analyses and Fertilizers. 125 gathered by the potato crop, as given in the table, something must be added for the tops, with reference to which we find no determinations of this element. Making due allowance for this, the best manure for the potato would seem to be a ‘‘ complete’ one; that is, one contain- ing all three of these substances—nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, with a large proportion of the last. I have for years endeavored to call attention to the fact that many of the experiments made by farmers, and even by the officers of agricul- tural experiment stations, for the purpose of finding out what fert1- lizer constituents their land most needs, are delusive. If a given piece of land needs potash and nothing else, then that piece of land, year after year, will not yield maximum crops without potash. If it hap- pens to need phosphates only, then full crops cannot be raised with- out some fertilizer which furnishes available phosphoric acid, as bone, fish, etc. If it stands in need of nitrogen only, nitrogen must be used. Here we have a plain case. The one ingredient needed is supplied in either trial and the land responds by giving the fullest crops of which it is capable. Each of the three farmers may truly say, ‘‘my land needs potash ’’—‘‘ mine phosphate ’’—‘‘ mine nitrogen.’’ But suppose in the first example phosphate is needed as well as potash; in the second potash is needed as well as phosphate; in the third either is needed as well as nitrogen, what will probably be the result of the ex- periments? That the first piece of land will not give an increase of crop from the use of potash ; the second will make little or no re- sponse to the phosphate, and the third none from the nitrogen. The experimenters jump at the conclusion that their land does not stand in need of the special fertilizers applied. A fourth example may be given : Theland needs all three of the fertilizers. The farmer spreads on one plot or field burnt bone (phosphoric acid only), on the other sul- phate of potash, on a third nitrate of soda and potash, on a fourth potash and burnt bone. It is possible that not one of these fields or plots will yield a full crop, and the experimenter arrives at the erro- neous conclusion that chemical fertilizers are worthless upon his land. His land needs all three and is not satisfied with any one or two. If we would ascertain whether a given piece of land needs a special or complete food, a complete fertilizer should be used on one plot, and upon another, a fertilizer from which one or another of its constitu- ents is omitted. And it may be necessary to repeat this several 126 The New Potato Culture. years. A comparison then between the several crops would be likely to answer the question whether the omitted constituent was the one most needed or not at all needed. But there is still another cause which might mislead farmers as to the effects of chemical fertilizers, or other chemicals used as such. We allude to the action of certain substances which are either not plant-foods or incomplete foods. Such, for example, are salt, plaster, lime, sulphate or muriate of potash, nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia, etc. The fact that any one of these has greatly increased crops would not prove that the land needed it ; it would not even prove that the substance was a plant-food. The increased crop might be due to food in the soil, pre- viously inert, rendered soluble by the salt, plaster, lime, nitrate of soda, or potash. In other words, their action was essentially thatof a stimulant, because the land has been forced to yield up what it was otherwise powerless to have done. So it is that certain more or less impoverished soils may be lashed into yielding abundantly, while every year becoming poorer, until they become so exhausted that they have nothing more for the time to give. Everything has been taken from them, and now every thing must be supplied. A neighboring farmer ten years ago told the writer that his father had ‘‘ brought up” his farm by lime, and that he (the son) proposed to continue its use. He has since changed his mind, for the reason that he cannot raise paying crops without manure or fertilizers, no matter how much lime is used. How many readers have had a similar experience? We may here call attention to the fact, not generally considered, that two ‘‘ complete” fertilizers which analyze the same, may yet give very different results, not because the food of the one is more available than that of the other, as when leather or shoddy is employed to furnish nitrogen, or undissolved South Carolina rock phosphoric acid, but because in the one different forms of the same constituent may beused. Thus, for example, in a potato fertilizer, if the nitro- gen were furnished by bone and blood, both slowly soluble, we should not look for so large a yield as if nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia were added. What is needed is food adapted to the plant from the beginning to maturity, so thatit shall not suffer during any period of its growth, in so far as abundant and assimilable food can prevent. And these facts, which are positively known to be facts, we would gladly, by iteration and reiteration, if necessary, impress upon those Analyses and Fertilizers. 127 readers who, through perfunctory investigations or from merely jumping at conclusions without any rational data to guide them, de- nounce concentrated fertilizers as worthless. HOW MONEY IS THROWN AWAY. Suppose, as has previously been said, we should separate farm ma- nure into three parts, viz, : phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen, the three constituents which, as we have had it drummed into us for many years, all plants must be supplied with, and which impoverished soils do not furnish in available forms. Suppose that we give a crop a large quantity of ove of these constituents, and that the crop shows no benefit from the application ; would that prove farm manure to be ineffectual? Not at all. Suppose we sow super-phosphate or potash, or nitrogen, upon our soil—only one, or even two—and the crop is not appreciably better ; would that prove that the so-called chemical fertilizers are of no use? It would prove just exactly as much inthe one case as inthe other. It would only prove one of two things ; first, that the soil was rich and needed no plant food, or second, that the soil was so impoverished that it needed a/. If farmers buy bone ash, which furnishes only phosphoric acid ; or sulphate or muriate of potash, which furnishes only potash; or ni- trate of soda or sulphate of ammonia, which furnishes only nitrogen, and spread it upon a poor soil which needs a// three, they will get no adequate increase of crops—and they may rely upon it. But they must not, therefore, condemn the use of concentrated fertilizers. In this connection, let me ask the reader again to refer to the effects of the various fertilizers upon potatoes raised upon my ‘‘ worn-out” soil. Is not the lesson taught by them conclusive ? Potash, as it ex- ists in kainit, applied at the rate of two tons to the acre, gave no in- crease in the yield. Burnt bone had little effect. Nitrogen was not effective, except (in most cases) to make an early promise which was broken later. But the comf/e/e fertilizers gave large yields. I conjure you, farmers (and I would repeat it again and again), un- less you desire to throw your money away—do not buy special or low grade fertilizers, unless by actual tests you happen to know just what your land needs. A cheap fertilizer means one that supplies a low per cent. of plant-food; or else it means a special or comparatively 128 The New Potato Culture. worthless fertilizer, like ground leather, hair, wool, plaster, salt or something of the kind. Suppose you.apply 1,000 pounds of bone-flour to your land each year for 10 years. Finding it of great service for five years, it is con- tinued. But the farmer finds, later, that it does not increase his crops at all. He might naturally, though erroneously, call his land ‘*bone-sick.”” Now, let him apply potash and the land responds at once, giving the finest crop ever raised upon the farm. The trouble was, not that the land had too much bone or phosphoric acid, but too” little potash. The crops had appropriated all the available potash and could not live on bones alone. So, in like manner, land might seem to. become ** potash-sick.” In such a case bone-flour would prove a specific cure. Farmers should not overlook the fact that when an imperfect food alone is furnished to plants, they cannot thrive unless the soil supplies the constituents which the imperfect food does not supply. In the course of time the land yields up its present store and a perfect food must be supplied. A TALK WITH FARMERS ABOUT CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS. The following is almost a verdatim report of talks I have had with farmers living about us. It may serve to emphasize what has pre- viously been said upon the rational use of fertilizers. FARMER A. ‘* How did your potatoes turn out ?” Farmer A.: ‘*Those manured with farm manure plowed in last fall yielded 200 bushels to the acre. Those upon which I used ‘ phos- phates’ yielded about 150.” ‘¢What was the ‘phosphate’ ?” A.: ‘I don’t know. I bought it for $20 a ton.” ‘‘Did you ever try a higher grade of fertilizer ?”” A.: ‘‘Yes. Last year I paid $30 a ton, and spread it on rye at the rate of 500 pounds tothe acre. I left a piece about 50 feet square without any ‘phosphate’. This piece was just as good as the rest. Once I tried kainit, but it did not increase the crop of corn. There is nothing like farm manure, if I could only afford to buy it. Limeis the best fertilizer for me. _It has done my land more good than all 299 your * phosphates. Analyses and Fertilizers. 129 ‘* What do you understand by the word ‘ phosphate’ ?” A.: ‘*I understand it to mean chemical fertilizers.” ‘¢And what are the chemical fertilizers made of ?” A.: ‘*Of ‘phosphates’, I suppose.” ‘* Here we have a ‘phosphate’ that costs $45 per ton, and here is an- other brand for $20. Why is it, think you, that many farmers pre- fer the $45 ‘ phosphate’ ?” A.: ‘‘I cannot say. I should feel that I was throwing away my money. My idea was to experiment with the low-priced fertilizer first and if I found it increased my crops, I then proposed to try a higher- priced article. But my opinion is that ‘phosphates’ don’t pay on my farm.” FARMER B. ‘*Do you use chemical fertilizers ?” Farmer B.: ‘*No. Iuse lime. My father before me brought up this farm with lime, and I use it in preference to anything else, ex- cept manure.” ‘*Do you buy manure ?” B.: ‘*No. I use what we make from our two horses, four cows, from the pigs and poultry. My farm consists of 70 acres.” ‘*Do you raise wheat ?”’ B.: ‘*No, we cannot raise wheat any more. Besides, rye pays better. The straw always brings a good price.”’ *¢ And why cannot you raise wheat ?” A.: ‘*Oh! the climate seems to have changed, or at any rate the farm does not seem to be adapted to it any longer.” ‘*And how about corn? Can you raise as much corn as you could years ago ?” B.: ‘‘ Field corn is no longer a paying crop with me. I raise sweet corn, manuring it in the hill, and send it to market. Sweet corn, lima beans and tomatoes pay me best. All are well manured in the hill.” ‘*Do you raise clover ?” B.: ‘*Yes, we seed to timothy and clover after sweet corn. But clover is uncertain now-a-days. Sometimes we gct a catch, oftener not. The same change of climate seems tobe the cause. Years ago, we could raise peaches here in abundance. Now they are of no ac- count, and so it goes.” P.—9 132 The New Potato Culture. the same as phosphate, because both are misleading. A complete fertilizer could be made up that would be worth less than $5 a ton. Muck, containing a trace of each of the three plant foods, would be as complete in the mercantile sense as if it contained large percentages.” D.: ‘‘Raw-bone contains phosphoric acid and nitrogen. Suppose we add potash in any form, would that not be a good complete fer- tilizer ?”’ ey ‘Not the best. Raw-bone is slow to decompose. Neither its nitro gen nor phosphoric acid is immediately available. Besides its per cent. of nitrogen is rather low, being less generally than three per cent. Probably the best fertilizers are made up of many different sorts of plant food. For example, the nitrogen may be supplied by fish, nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, blood and guano. In such fertilizers, the nitrogen is available trom the beginning to the end of the plant’s life. First, the nitrate of soda is at once ready for the plant; then the sulphate of ammonia; then the guano, blood and fish. It is the same with phosphoric acid. This should be furnished by super: phosphate first, then by raw-bone, etc., so that the plant shall have a ready supply at every stage of its growth.” . D.: ‘*How am I to be assured that I get all this, even though I buy the highest grades of fertilizers?” * ‘*You can’t. All youcan do is to buy of reputable firms who agree to sell you what you ask for. The analyses, as published in the bul- letins periodically issued by experiment stations, are helpful guides ; the crops must show the rest.” D.: ‘*My neighbor used 600 pounds to the acre of high-grade $40-fertilizer last season on his corn. The crop was very poor.” ‘* And the season was dry ?”’ IDE ees. ‘¢ Have you never known farm manure to fail in such a season ?” D.: ‘Do you advise farmers to use fertilizers ?” ‘¢It is far beyond any one to advise in the matter, further than to say that farmers cannot use them to the best advantage, except by chance, unless they study the science of fertilizers as they would study a book, and then, with the light of such knowledge, experiment with them 1n their own fields. Each farmer would then be enabléd to answer the question for himself. No one can answer it for him, Analyses and Fertilizers. 133 THE POTATO’S NEEDS. To sum up the demand of successful potato culture, a farmer must know, by actual trial on his own grounds, what varieties succeed best, in order to insure the best results ; also. if possible, at what season he had best plant his crop so that it may be supported by plentiful rain-falls at the time of the setting of the tubers; also the fields best adapted to the growth of potatoes; then he must act accordingly. In a series of years a iarmer, acting on such general principles, will be more likely to be successful than one who p.ants such sorts as he may have on hand, and at such times as best suits his convenience, without regard to the quality of the seed or its adaptedness to his soil, as it is now a well established fact that a variety that succeeds well in some localities, is comparatively worthless in others. A mellow soil, a moist soil well drained ; plenty of potash, nitro- gen, phosphoric acid, lime, and possibly magnesia, sulphur and salt, for mechanical effects, or for an effect not understood ; give the seed pieces enough flesh to support them until the shoots can be sup- ported by their own roots. Plant them in depth according to the soil, whether inclining to clay or sand, from three inches to five inches. The distance of the hills or drills, and the pieces in them, should be regulated by the vigor and size of the varietiesplanted. Rank-grow- ing varieties, the same as tall-growing corn, will not yield well if planted too closely together. _Hilling-up on well drained land never increases the crop. The fibrous roots extend from hill to hill, from row to row, and the soil should not be taken from them io heap it up about the stems where it is not needed. In hill culture, where the tubers crowd each other out of the ground, hilling-up is necessary only to protect the potatoes from the air and light. Broadcast ma- nuring is better than manuring in the hill, for the reason that it is the fibrous roots that need the food—wzo¢ the tubers, which are fed by the fibrous roots. Kill the potato beetles before they have injured the foliage. Avy injury to the foliage will impair the vigor of the plant, and less vigor in the plant means less crop. THE DIFFERENCE, It is unfortunate that the name ‘‘chemical fertilizer” should be generally accepted as something different from ‘‘manure.’ They are 134 The New Potato Culture. precisely the samething. That is to say, if we desire to answer the question, ‘‘ What is manure ?”’ we must answer that it consists of just those constituents which by chemists are called nitrogen, sulphuric acid, gypsum, potash, copperas, ammonia, magnesia, silicon, etc. If we burn a quantity of straw, grass, wood, flesh or any other sub- stance, we have the ash constituents remaining. 7/ey are the so- called chemical fertilizers, excepting that the nitrogen, carbon, oxy- gen, hydrogen, etc., have escaped in the form of gas. If we take a rock and pound it to a very fine powder, we have a manure or fertilizer, and its value depends upon its content of those materials which plants need. We do not consider bone or South Carolina rock a chemical fertilizer Jer sc, and yet either is, in fact, just as much a chemical fer- tilizer as is nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, muriate or sulphate of potash, for the reason that they are valuable as a plant food only as they contain those substances. It is just the same with any kind of manure. The essential difference between farm manure and chem- ical fertilizers is that the former is bulky, slow to decay, yielding up to plants its nourishing elements not until they have become soluble by slow combustion. While, too, this éu/k is decomposing, it exerts a mechanical influence on the soil, making it lighter, admitting more air and moisture to the plants, which are hungry to avail themselves of either. It is with agricultural chemists as with other scientific individuals— they are not aware to what extent the employment of so-called scien- tific terms renders their work Greek to the mass of those they seek to instruct. If farmers were at once to understand that chemical fertil- izers are merely concentrated farm manure, they would not be so prone to regard a sufficient understanding of the action of these fertilizers as something beyond their comprehension without an amount of study which they believe themselves unable to give to the subject. Concen- trated manure and fav7z manure would be the better names to give re- spectively to the waste products of the farm and to those self-same products which are now known only as ‘‘ chemical fertilizers. ’ Cir LER ev Seedling Potatoes. How to plant the seed and treat tie seed- lings. Every gardener and farmer should ratse bis own varieties. How to select. Should we save tubers from the most productive hills? Why the same variety varies. T IS NOW some fifteen years ago that I began to raise potatoes from seed. Previous to that time, raising potatoes from seed was supposed to be a very hard thing to do; there were ‘‘ secrets about it known only to a few,” I was told, upon inquiry of a leading seedsman of those days. The seed and seedlings needed ‘‘ bottom heat,’ and thcreafter even temperature and steady moisture, such as could be given only in glass structures fitted especially for such work. The truth is, as many of my readers are now aware, tiiat potato seeds germinate somewhat more readily than tomato seeds, and, until set out in the open ground, may be treated in precisely the same way. From the time that I found this out up to this day, I have advocated seedling potato culture, through the farm press. New varieties of potatoes are absolutely necessary from time to time. All varieties, after a time, degenerate or ‘‘run out,’’ as most farmers select their ‘*seed.’’ Millions of dollars have been spent for new potato ‘‘ seed,” that might just as well have been raised at home. SEED BALLS OR FRUIT. Let us gather the seed balls, apples, or whatever one chooses to cali them, from the potato vines as soon as they begin to die. These (135) 136 The New Potato Culture. may be kept until they begin to wither or rot, when the flesh is parted from the seed and the latter dried and preserved the same as any other seeds, until sowing time arrives. The seed ball of a potato is the proper fruit, as the tomato is the fruit of the tomato plant. The tuber of a potato is merely a swollen underground stem, quite dis- tinct from the roots. Indeed, tubers often form above ground in the axils of the green stems, as no doubt readers have had occasion to notice. The so-called ‘‘eyes”’ of the potato tuber are buds which, as we also know, push and form stems and leaves feeding upon the decomposing flesh of the tuber itself. Potatoes may be, and are, grown from these stems, and in this way large quantities may be raised from a single tuber by pulling off the shoots and planting them as they grow. But this is a branch of the subject which is treated elsewhere. In times gone by potato plants fruited plentifully, and potato apples could be procured in unlimited quantities. It is different now. Many of our present kinds do not fruit at all—some of them do not even bloom. Twelve years ago I raised 62 different varieties and was unable either to procure any pollen for the purpose of crossing, or a single seed ball. The past season, of 50 different kinds, ten bore seed balls, one—Wall’s Orange—in large quantities, a cluster of whichis shown at Fig. 14, p. 139. Whenit is considered that potatoes have been bred and cultivated for the tubers alone, it is not surpris- ing perhaps, that the plants should incline to fruit less and less with every year. Some say that the yield of potatoes 50 years ago was greater than now, ana that, therefore, the potato is less productive now than then. This, while perhaps true in fact, is no doubt an erro- neous view as to the cause. If our ancestors had had our present varieties they would probably have produced very much larger crops. The buds or eyes of potatoes sometimes vary, as has been stated, producing potatoes that differ in quality, in color or in time of maturing. Thus we have the Late Rose, Beauty of Hebron, etc., from Early Rose and Beauty of Hebron. But potatoes never ‘‘ mix in the hill” from contact, as some suppose. We can produce new varieties at will only from the seed. Spa cinead a soa ipa 8 Med 136 The New Potato Culture. may be kept until they begin to wither or rot, when the flesh is parted from the seed and the latter dried and preserved the same as any other seeds, until sowing time arrives. The seed ball of a potato is the proper fruit, as the tomato is the fruit of the tomato plant. The tuber of a potato is merely a swollen underground stem, quite dis- tinct from the roots. Indeed, tubers often form above ground in the axils of the green stems, as no doubt readers have had occasion to notice. The so-called ‘‘eyes”’ of the potato tuber are buds which, as we also know, push and form stems and leaves feeding upon the decomposing flesh of the tuber itself. Potatoes may be, and are, grown from these stems, and in this way large quantities may be raised from a single tuber by pulling off the shoots and planting them as they grow. But this is a branch of the subject which is treated elsewhere. In times gone by potato plants fruited plentifully, and potato apples could be procured in unlimited quantities. It is different now. Many of our present kinds do not fruit at all—some of them do not even bloom. Twelve years ago I raised 62 different varieties and was unable either to procure any pollen for the purpose of crossing, or a single seed ball. The past season, of 50 different kinds, ten bore seed balls, one—Wall’s Orange—in large quantities, a cluster of which is shown at Fig. 14, p. 139. When it is considered that potatoes have been bred and cultivated for the tubers alone, it is not surpris- ing perhaps, that the plants should incline to fruit less and less with every year. Some say that the yield of potatoes 50 years ago was greater than now, ana that, therefore, the potato is less productive now than then. This, while perhaps true in fact, is no doubt an erro- neous view as to the cause. If our ancestors had had our present varieties they would probably have produced very much larger crops. The buds or eyes of potatoes sometimes vary, as has been stated, producing potatoes that differ in quality, in color or in time of maturing. Thus we have the Late Rose, Beauty of Hebron, etc., from Early Rose and Beauty of Hebron. But potatoes never ‘‘ mix in the hill” from contact, as some suppose. We can produce new varieties at will only from the seed. qe. ee" TUBERS FROM SEED THE FIRST YEAR.—(Showing Various Forms.) See Chapter XV. Seedling Potatoes. Ee7 SELECTION OF SEEDS. It seems hardly necessary to advise that balls from the best va- rieties should alone be saved—the best yielders, the best in quality, in shape ;, the best keepers and those which are least liable to disease. If our own po- tato vines produce no balls, probably they may be found in our neighbors’ fields or patches. If they too fail, we may write to friends in other states or localities or we may purchase them of seedsmen. We will suppose that the reader has neither green- Fic. 12. houses nor plant frames of any kind. We should next require a sunny window facing the east or south or, better, southeast, and a room in which the temperature never falls below 35 degrees. PLANTING. Provide well-drained flower pots, filled with mellow garden soil. Press the soil firmly with the bottom of another flower pot. Then sow the seeds evenly half-an-inch apart and cover with one-eighth inch of soil, and again press the soil—this time lightly. Place these pots in pans or buckets of water so that the water comes up outside the pots nearly as high as the surface of the soil, and leave them until the surface soil begins to show it is wet. Remove them then to the sunny window and cover each with glass. So treated they will need no more water until germination takes place, which will be in about a week or ten days. The glasses may be removed as soon as most of the sceds have sprouted. It is better, however, to remove the glass gradually, first by raising it an eighth of an inch, then a quarter and finally lifting it off entirely. We prefer this method of supplying water to surface-watering for several reasons, chief among which is that the, soil is not washed off the seed. The first leaves ap- pear as in Fig. 13 A, the later leaves asin Fig. 13 B. We should advise that the seeds be sown not until late February, or early March. The little plants will then be large enough to transplant to little pots (say three inches in diameter) by early April. A pocket-knife blade is as good as anything for the purpose of ‘‘ pricking out”’ the plants, only one of which should be planted in each thumb-pot. 138 The New Potato Culture. CARE OF THE PLANTS. By April 20 many leaves will be found to be of the shape and size of Fig. 12, while the plants will have reached the average height of four inches—some strong, some puny. The one thing now to be borne in mind is that these seedlings do not receive a check from over or in- sufficient watering, from too much or too little heat, or from any other \ if cause, otherwise the swelling stems or S17 little tubers will cease to grow or they | will make a second growth. Y/ we ( As soon as all danger of frost is A ( over, we may now transplant our seed- B ling vines to a warm, well prepared plot. Dig little holes with a trowel, A) a one foot apart, in drills three feet apart, ap ee and thump the balls of earth, which iiK\ : will be held firmly together by the Fic. 13. fibrous roots of the plants, out of the pots and set them firmly in these holes. Thereafter their treatment will be the same as potato plants from eyes. If it be desired to raise the largest crop and the largest tubers from seed, and one has a greenhouse, the seed may be sown in January. As the little pots into which the seedlings are transplanted become filled with roots, they (the seedlings) may be thumped out and placed in larger pots. Set out in the open, as above described, after there is no longer danger of frost, the tops will grow as large as those of other planis, while many of the tubers will be found to be of market- able size. Our view has been that farmers may raise seedlings that will be found to be better adapted to their farms than most of the hundreds of kinds offered for sale. Then again in the case of a lucky hit, the variety might be sold to some enterprising seedsman for a price that would well repay the producer for all his time andtrouble. The seeds will sprout about as readily as tomato seeds. The trouble begins when the little tender plants are set out in the open ground. The beetles attack both leaf and stem and destroy them ina few days. The seed- lings cannot be saved by any application of arsenic or other poisons. Seedling Potatoes. 139 Fic. 14. Fruit balls of Wall’s Orange potato. The injury to the leaves and stems which the beetles or grubs will eat before the poison kills them will destroy the vines. Besides they are so tender that they cannot even stand the plaster alone—much less poisoned plaster. 140 The New Fotato Culture. As soon as the seedlings are set in the garden, mosquito netting, one yard wide, is stretched lengthwise of the rows and supported above the vines by half-hoops or sticks, placed at intervals of four | feet, like the rafters of a double pitch roof, and the peaks are con- nected by horizontal sticks tied to the peaks, or where the two sticks meet, giving all needed support to the netting above, while the edges on either side are held in place below merely by covering them with an inch of soil, or by narrow boards. We have now a two-pitched or oval covering, which is quickly made and at merely the cost of the netting. This protects the vines thoroughly until they fill the trian- gular or oval space, when they are large and strong enough to stand poisoned plaster, and the netting may be removed, to be used a second time the next season. SHOULD WE SELECT SEED POTATOES FROM THE MOST PRODUC- TIVE MED ee Sie Some years ago, Dr. Sturtevant, the director of the New York Experi- ment Station at the time, stated that he found that potatoes selected for ‘*seed’’ from the most prolific hills gave greater yields than the ‘“seed”’ selected from hills yielding the smallest number and weight of tubers. The late Peter Henderson, commenting upon this, took the view that ‘‘further experiments will show that this increased productive- ness will not continue to hold, because the reason for the greater or less yield was probably only an accident of circumstances, due to specially favorable conditions of the set made to form the hill, or to being highly fertilized, or to some such cause that gave it this tem- porary advantage; and that the chances are all against any perma- nent improvement being made by such selections.” This is certainly a very important question. A potato, it must be re- peated, isa peculiar stem, with buds. Its peculiarity is that which gives it value as food, which is starchy, tender and wholesome. When these swollen stems are planted, the buds (eyes) grow, the same as any other buds, and from the underground portion of these shoots issue roots and other stems, the extremities of which swell, forming tubers. Some of these grow large and shapely ; others small and ill shapen. Still others are just beginning to form as the season ad- Seedling Potatoes. T41 vances, even as the vines die and the tubers are harvested. Every so-called variety of potato has, when all its needs are supplied, a cer- tain limit as to size and perfection. Al /ubers which do not so develop are retarded or injured in one way or another. Some are harmed by drought or by too much moisture ; some by insects; while the shape is modified by the heaviness or lightness of the soil, by stones or by growing too close together. Potatoes grown in pure sand, and fed with liquid food, are, as we have shown, always smooth and perfect in form; that is, perfect, according to the standard of the particular vari- ety cultivated. It may well be thought that any irregularity in shape, due to stones or a too compact soil, etc., would never be repeated and become fixed were such deformed potatoes planted again and again. It seems reasonable, however, to suppose that those tubers which are harmed by parasites, or rot, or insects, have thereby sustained in- juries which, decomposing the tissue, must weaken the virility of the buds and shoots. The smaller and smallest potatoes of a crop are those which have been dwarfed from some cause. The formation of more tubers than the parent plant could support is, perhaps, one cause ; and the formation of tubers too late to mature is, no doubt, another. It may be a matter of pure conjecture whether, in the former case, the dwarfed potatoes are possessed of as much vigor as the largest one. But, in the latter case, all analogies point to the conclusion that immature tubers, as well as immature cuttings of any kind, will produce comparatively feeble plants. This is well exem- plified by the weakened constitution of grape-vines grown from green wood. What is called ‘‘ bud variation” is,as is well known, common enough. Thus it is we have many of our most prized orna- mental plants, as, for example, weeping and variegated trees, shrubs and house plants. The writer has in mind a willow, a few branches of which bore leaves splashed and striped with bright yellow. By starting cuttings from the variegated shoots for several generations, the variegation has become fixed, while the original tree has lost its variegation. Similar cases often occur with potatoes. We have now a purple-skinned potato that matured on a plant all the other tubers of which'were buff-skinned, and the potatoes are notably different in quality. If such qualities may be fixed by selection, why may not also increased productiveness be fixed by selection? Let us now 142 The New Potato Culture. speak of the variations which occur in young and seedling potatoes, which, we fancy, will give emphasis to the view we have taken, viz: that productiveness may be increased by selecting, not only tubers from the best hills, but, it may be added, from the shapeliest and most perfect individuals in such hills. Let us sow seeds—true seeds from the fruit or seed-ball. Each plant may produce, let us say 15 tubers, varying in size froma pea to an egg. They will also vary in shape. Some will be round and smooth ; others pointed at the ends, others long and slender. Every experienced seedling potato grower knows that he can generally se- cure the shape desired by planting tubers of that shape and then again selecting the same shape for the next crop, until the variety is con- sidered established and ready to turn upon the market. From the same seedling plant, therefore, he can oftentimes propagate varieties which shall be round, flattened, cylindrical, or ‘‘ kidney”’ shaped. Seedling potatoes often, also, vary in color, and the color can be fixed by selection, as just described. No less does the froductiveness of tubers from the same seedling plant vary. This I have seen in my experience again and again. The tubers from an original seedling plant will vary in yield as much as they will vary in shape or color, or in depth of eyes. I do not know the practice of a// originators of new potatoes, but I do know that some of them select for the second planting those tubers which closely resemble one another in shape and general appearance without the least regard for or any knowl- edge of their different yielding powers. The next season selection is again made from these according to appearance, time of ripening, etc. Finally the new variety is ready to be sold. The tubers bring from 25 cents to $1 a pound, and single potatoes are sent all over the country. Is it surprising that many report that the new potato is immensely productive, while others report otherwise? Further than this: I know of seedling potato growers that select tubers from more than one hill if the seed planted is the same and the appearance of tubers of the different seedlings is the same. According to this, a dozen or more kinds differing in productiveness and in quality are sent out wader the same name. Evidently we should gain in such cases by sclecting the best tubers of the most productive hills. Evidently again, farmer Jones may find the new seedling of a better quality and a greater yielder than farmer Brown, who purchased the ‘‘ seed” Seedling Potatoes. 143 from the same seedsman, and gave the same or even better cultiva- tion. The fact is that the two men plant and raise potatoes which are really different in quality and productiveness, though to all out- ward appearances they are much the same. LET IT BE REPEATED. Of seed tubers, save only the /arges¢t and shafeliest from the most productive hills for future propagation, and s/art a variety from a single tuber. CA Pee Re Qo villi Care of the seed. Exposing sound seed to light and sun before planting. How to detect impotent eyes. Lime as a pre- server. Handling. Digging potatoes by machinery. Potsoning. T IS my opinion that it will pay farmers to place their seed-pieces (if sound, that is, not sprouted) in light, sunny places ten days before planting time. They can then cut their seed intelligently, according to the number and vigor of the eyes. Inthis way a perfect stand may be secured, and it may be doubted if it can be se- cured in anyother way. The seed, of course, must be kept sound, or nothing can be gained by the exposure to light and warmth. Prob- ably sced raised in Ohio or Pennsylvania or IIlinois will yield just as well as seed from Maine or Canada, provided it can be kept from sprouting. Let us place our sound seed then in a temperature of 70 degrees for ten days. All the potent eyes will develop a short, stubby, warty growth not easily broken off in the usual handling, and the tubers may be cut accordingly. Mr. G. W. P. Jerrard, of Caribou, Maine, plants his seed potatoes fresh from his cool cellars when they are nearly as dormant as when dug in the autumn before. He finds they come through the ground with a big vigorous shoot and maintain a superior vigor all through the season. Seed potatoes from which sprouts have been removed once or more, lack vitality as compared with fresh ones. He stores his potatoes in deep, cool cellars, in bins 4 feet wide and 3% feet deep, one above another, two high, with a floorand air space between them. They have plenty of air in the fall, but not in the spring, and they do not sprout until June. (144) Care of the Seed and Crop. 145 Mr. Geo. E. Waring, a correspondent, says that while we all know that a low temperature prevents tubers from sprouting, it is not gen- erally known that cold much below 40 degrees and quite above freez- ing, will permanently impair their power of germination. Seed po- tatoes should be kept with much care in this respect, at a few de- grees higher than is best for winter apples, and never too low, even for a short time. LIME has often been recommended as a preventive of potato rot. The N. Y. Experiment Station does not find itso. The Director filled two barrels with sound White Star potatoes, in the fall of 1883, in one of which he sprinkled air-slaked lime, as the tubers were put in, in suffi- cient quantity to whiten them. On April 3d, the potatoes in both barrels were examined. The one treated with lime had 68 decayed tubers, while the other contained but 52. It thus appears that in this experiment the lime exerted no beneficial influence. Many people are in favor of leaving potatoes in the ground to the latest safe hour, say early November, and this even for those matur- ing in July. Taking one season with another, this has been the writer’s experience—an experience rendered necessary, in great part, in order to secure to his experiments equivalent conditions. HANDLING. A friend writes that he has tried several ways of harvesting pota- toes, but finds that if good help can be had, digging by hand is the best. Last year his men dug with a potato fork, taking two rows each and going backward, throwing the potatoes from the two rows together, leaving them in good shape to pick up. He had one man that would dig 100 bushels every day, and dig them clean. His po- tatoes are sorted in the field; to do the job there requires less time and labor than when left for some other time. Small potatoes are drawn into the barn and fed to the cows, except several barrels that are put into the cellar to be cooked and fed to the chickens during the winter. Another correspondent writes that he digs his potatoes by hand, with hooks ; he prefers hooks to forks, hoes or diggers; he can get P.—IO 146 The New Potato Culture. all the potatoes in a hill without bruising them. He always sorts in the field, making two pickings. Small potatoes are fed to stock. Owing to the waste of shrinkage, interest, resorting, frost, rotting and other risks one must run, the chances of an extra price in spring are not enough to pay for holding over. A third writes that if the potatoes are to be shipped in bulk in a car, or put directly in:o the cellar, the cheapest way to handle them isin sacks. Scatter the sacks along so they will be convenient, and pick the potatoes up into small baskets, so that you can hold the sack and empty the potatoes into it without help. Then put only a bushel into a sack ; one man can easily throw this into the wagon without help, and there will be no need of tying a sack only half full. With one man in the wagon to place the sacks, and two to hand them up, it is the work of a very few moments to load, and the unloading can be done as rapidly. Every person who raises many potatoes, writes a fourth friend, should have a number of small boxes holding about a bushel each. These can be placed along the rows and filled from the ground. They should be placed in the wagon and not emptied until the barn or cellar is reached. Most farmers handle their potatoes over three or four times in passing from the ground to the bin. Why handle them unnecessarily ? What must we think of a farmer who has to mow down the weeds on his patch in order to find his potatoes ? DIGGING POTATOES BY MACHINERY. An expert can dig half an acre even of drilled potatoes, in a day of ten hours, if the crop is clean. But ordinary men would be about three days digging an acre. The cost of this amount of labor, in- cluding the board, would be about $4. There are more farmers who get their potatoes dug at a greater cost per acre than this, than there are who pay less. Thus writes Mr. T. B. Terry, of Ohio, who has been very successful in potato farming. For three years past he has used a digger, which cost $1co. Hand labor has been entirely dis- peused with, except at the ends of the field and when digging unripe potatoes for the market. About an hour’s work in the morning, and as much more after dinner, would dig as many potatoes as his help would pick up. With the conditions all just right, he has dug an acre in two hours, but ordinarily it would take about three. — Care of the Seed and Crop. 147 Instead of paying out about $50 a season for extra help to dig his crop, the machine now does it, and he hardly misses the time spent in riding on it,and of course he pockets the $50. This is more than literally true now, for of course the machine has more than saved its first cost. Again, he can rush business, putting all the help at pick- ing up. He is quite independent, also, for any one can pick up, but few can dig well and fast. The machine wears fast, but probably $10 would cover the wear to date. In replying to’a question which I asked Mr. Terry, he says that he has always practiced shallow culti- vation until the growth of vines prevented it. It is true, as he be- lieves, that the ‘* trenches”’ render cultivation less necessary, but it is nevertheless of the first importance if we would secure a maxis mum yield. Keep the surface soil mellow as long as _ possible, Plants cannot do their best in a compact soil—it matters not what the plant is —a rose, a pansy, a corn or potato plant. If I have en- deavored to impress one thing more than another upon my readers it is the importance of a mellow surface during plant growth. I began its advocacy years ago when, upon a measured acre of land, I raised over 130 bushels of shelled corn. .At the same time I began the advocacy of shallow cultivation for corn—since extended to pota- toes. When I began to talk of shallow cultivation for corn, other journals were commending the ‘‘root pruning” absurdity. Now, there are few good farmers who care to sever the roots of the grow- ing corn, and it is evident that shallow cultivation for potatoes is all the while gaining friends. PARIS GREEN. I am of the opinion now, as I have been for several years past, that the most economical way to apply Paris green is to thoroughly mix it with plaster, as previously described, rathcr than with water. In the latter the poison cannot be equally distributed, stir the water as we may. The upper portions of the water will always hold less than the lower portions, where the insoluble heavy powder coliects in larger quantity in spite of constant stirring. The leaves of the pota- to plant are harmed by this. Not so with flour or plaster. While we must use a dessertspoonful of the green to a pailful of water'to render it effective, the same quantity thoroughly mixed with two pail- fuls of plaster will prove just as effectual. 148 The New Fotato Culture. Again, much of the water applied falls to the ground. A part only is retained on the leaves, while nearly all of the poisoned plaster, if skilfully applied, falls upon and is retained by the leaves until the next rain. The poiscned water, for the most part, does not settle or dry upon the edges of the leaves, but the poison collects as the water evaporates near the center or mid-veins or depressions, so that the beetles may eat up the best part of the leaf ere they encounter the poison, and the leaves are for the most part destroyed. PICKING OFF THE BEETLES. Nobody that speaks from experience, as it seems to me, will advise people to pick off the first potato beetles (parent beetles) by hand in order to save work later on when the eggs hatch out. We tried this plan thoroughly for several years, and an estimate was kept and pub- lished of how many beetles were thus gathered and destroyed daily. But it seemed in a great measure a loss of time and toil. It is true enough that if all the parent beetles are destroyed, there will be no grubs. But this is impracticable. A large proportion at any given time are concealed under the soil, while others are creeping from place to place, not to speak of those that come from neighboring premises. In spite of our care in destroying the beetles and eggs, myriads of grubs appeared, and we were at length driven to use Paris green the same as in previous years. When writers advise us, as many have done, te gather the beetles by hand, we want to tell them that if they would practice this advice for one season they would not care to offer it again. COAP- EER? *% VII. Brevities. The objections to billing up. Mr. Hirsey answered. Difficulty in crossing potatoes. So-called hybrid seeds are not hybrids. Hybrids between the strawberry tomato and the potato. Prof. ‘Batley’s grafting experiments. Why plaster ts sometimes effective, sometimes not. Questions answered. E cannot in these days afford to plant potatoes with deep eyes, either for home use or market. would be but little trouble to save out the best tubers of the most productive hills while digging the crop; and if by so doing we can preserve the original vigor of the varieties, the trouble will be well expended. We find that there are 673 potatoes of average size in a barrel. If the potato pieces are planted in drills one foot apart, the drills being three feet apart, 14,520 will be required for an acre, or about 4} barrels, if we make five pieces of each potato. “ Wuar does the farmer hill up for? Some do it to kill the weeds. Others hill up to increase the crop. This may increase the yield, but it also increases the proportion of small potatoes. The grcen stems, covered up by hilling, send out roots and tuber-bearing stems from joints or adventitious buds. The hill accomplishes only what the trench accomplishes far better, by giving a depth of soil below, instead of above, and a more uniform pressure on all sides to be overcome by the rapidly growing tuber. Tue practice of hilling up corn and potatoes is not only robbing Peter to pay Paul, but is worse than that. It is both robbing Peter (149) 150 The New Potato Culture. and injuring Paul. When corn is a foot high, the roots extend a foot on either side; 2. ¢., the plant is the center of a circle of roots at least two feet in diameter. Now, in order to hill up, we take away the soil from these root extremities to heap it about the stems where it is not needed for any purpose whatever. When the roots extend half-way or more between the hills or drills, it is worse. The roots are then in a measure deprived of moisture, food and shelter, while many of the root; «hich the plant needs aie severed. Tue true seeds of potatoes will germinate if three years old. Be careful not to plant frost-bitten seed potatoes. Avorp ploughing potato land when it is not dry enough to crumble as it is plowed. Ir is a good plan, for late potatoes, to sow blood, nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia not until the sprouts show themselves above the ground. CuLtivaTE shallow if you would avoid the worst effects of dry weather. Mr. Epmunp Hirsey, of Massachusetts, has carried on a series of experiments with potatoes for several years. He arrives at some conclusions which are at a variance with the results of my own experiments. ‘‘The form of a potato,” he says, ‘‘cannot as a rule be changed by the selection of any particular form.” This may be true of well established varieties, but it is not true as to the selec- tion of the tubers which true seed produces. We have repeatedly selected differently shaped potatoes produced by the seedling plant, establishing varieties widely differing from each otherin shape. (See Chap. XV.) Again he says: ‘‘ The seed-end of a potato is better to plant than the stem end, because the plants start with more vigor and produce larger and more potatoes.” Yes, the seed end does start earlier and more vigorously than the stem-end. It is true also that seed-end pieces will produce more potatoes than stem-end pieces—but they are smaller. The greater the number of eyes planted, the greater the number of sprouts and, consequently, the more potatoes are formed. But they are necessarily smaller. He further says that ‘*two distinct varieties will not mix in the hill.”” This is a postulate and scarcely needs to be stated. There will always be farmers who Brevities. . 151 believe that potatoes do mix in the hill, as well as farmers who believe that wheat changes to chess, oats to barley, etc. But until absolute proof of such changes has been furnished, we must be guided by what we know of the laws of plant growth. “1 Ae I HAVE never been able to cross pctato flowers, for the reason that in spite of diligent search I have never been able to gather any pol- len, though no less than an average of too different varieties have been raised in small quantity every season. And yet, some of our seedsmen offer ‘‘ hybrid potato seed” for 25 cents the packet. In the technical sense, there is no such thing as ‘‘ hybrid” potato seed, If we were to cross a tomato or an alkekengi and a potato, the sced would then be true hybrids. But crosses between different kinds of potatoes produce cross-breeds merely, and it is a more correct word to use. Hundreds of new seedlings are announced from year to year, with both parents given in a positive way. We may reasonably believe that the parentage of many of our new potatoes, and the hybridizing of these ‘‘ hybrid” seeds, are merely guessed at or are altogether fictitious. Of course, ‘‘ seed balls’’ do form, and in such cases there must be pollen. But to find pollen and to apply it so that a cross is known to have taken place, is a task that no one can afford to do, unless, in place of 25 cents a packet, he were to charge 50 cents or more per seed. SPEAKING of ‘“‘ hybrid’ potatoes, the following bit of experience may interest the reader. An attempt was first made to cross the tomato upon the potato. This failed. Pollen from the alkekengi, or strawberry tomato, was then applied to the pistils of the potato flower, and one seed ball was the result. The several seeds were planted, four of which sprouted and grew. The plants resembled po- tatoes in all ways save two ; they did not blossom, and in the fall it was found, upon digging them up carefully, that not a tuber, nor the sign of one, had formed. In this connection, the results of grafting potato cions upon tomato stems, and vice versa, as effected by Prof. L. H. Bailey, of Cornell University, during the past season, may be mentioned. The potato plants with tomato tops produced good tubers even when no potato sprouts were allowed to grow from the root. The tomato tops in some cases produced good, large tomatoes also—two diverse crops 152 The New Potato Culture. from one plant. But the onc which produced most tomatoes bore no potatoes—the vigor had evidently all gone to the tomato fruits. The tomato plants with potato tops grew nicely, but produced no tubers. But the potato tops blossomed freely, but no balls set. In places where good wood ashes are cheap, farmers should never buy chemical fertilizers until the ashes have been tried. A first-rate supplement to unlcached ashes is fine raw-bone flour, being strong in phosphoric acid, in which ashes are weak, and furnishing nitrogen, of which ashes are destitute. TurouGH all times plaster has been regarded by many as a direct and very valuable plant-food, especially for clover. By others it has becn regarded as of no value, for the good reason that no visible effects followed its use. Inthe light of more recent knowledge, such contradictory phenomena are apparently well explained. Plaster sets the fixed or insoluble potash of the soil free. That is to say, the sulphuric acid of the plaster combines with the fixed potash of the soil, forming sulphate of potash, which is soluble. So, too, it may act upon the carbonate of ammonia of the soil, which is volatile, fixing it as sulphate of ammonia, until as such it is used by the grow- ing crop or passcs through the soil in the drainage water. In most cases, it is probable that the lime of the gypsum has little, if any, effect in increasing the crop upon soils which are already supplied with lime, and yet it is often upon just such soils that gypsum shows atits best. In such soils there is little doubt that potash, either in unleached ashes, muriate or sulphate of potash, would have a more immediate and telling effect upon the crop. In this case the needed element (potash) is given to the soil in a soluble condition ; in the other, the plaster splits into two parts, so to say, the lime becoming fixcd and the sulphuric acid seizing upon the inert potash, rendcring it scluble. It will be seen that plaster is therefore what may fairly be called a stimulant—an excitant. How greatly soever it may increase the crop one season, we may look for a proportionate decline the | next. THE KILLING OF POTATO TOPS LESSENS THE YIELD. D. F. S. HENDERSON, Texas.—Does the killing of potato tops by late spring frosts diminish the yield or deteriorate the quality of the crop? We plant potatoes about February 15, and the tops are fre- Brevities. 153 quently killed by frosts. Wegetacrop, of course, but is’nt it smaller than it would have been had not the frosts killed the tops ? Answer.—There can be little doubt that the killing of potato tops by frost or any other cause lessens the yield materially and also im- pairs the quality of the tuber. If the tops were killed a second time by the frost, what would be the effect ? Itis true that potatoes may be raised from cuttings continuously. The cut tuber used for seed is itself a cutting. But the cutting must be a strong, healthy cutting, A plant injured by frost is weakened in every part. FERTILIZING POTATOES. C. J. M., Tom’s River, N. J.—In the Rural trench system the fer- tilizer is applied above and below the ‘‘seed. Do you in general favor ‘hill and drill’ or broadcast fertilizing? Am I wrong in broadcasting valuable (costly) fertilizers, that is, do I fail to get the most profitable immediate returns ? Answer.—Above or below or both as one chooses. I have, as a rule, favored broadcast fertilizing. For potatoes I favor confining the fertilizers to the trenches if one foot or more wide. This is an opinion not founded on experiment. For corn, wheat and all crops the roots of which extend frcm row to row and plant to plant, we have no doubt that broadcast fertilizing is the most economical thing to do. We find that the sass of roots of potatoes grow in the trenches and that, therefore, if the trenches are three feet apart, they will get at least twice as much fertilizer as if the same gross amount were dis- tributed broadcast. KEEPING POTATOES. W. O. F., Greensburg, Ind.—What is the best plan for keeping po- tatoes over winter, especially early potatoes for seed ? Answer.—tIn northern sections the commonest way is to store the tubers in cool, well ventilated cellars. Opinions vary as to whether the potatoes should be packed in large bins or in smaller lots in bar- rels or boxes, but it would seem that most growers store in large masses. It pays, as all agree, to shovel or handle the seed potatoes over several times during the winter. We have often thought that potatoes could be stored very successfully in sacks, which could be emptied and refilled once each month, or six weeks, during the winter. 154 The New Potate Culture. Many of the large growers uce pits for storing. The pit illustrated at Fig. 15 is described by W. W. Tracy, of Detroit. The potatoes are put into the pit as soon after being dug as possible, when they are covered with straw or corn stalks for a few days. They are then covered with boards and earth, the ends of the pit being left open, Later the ends are closed, and a small amount of ventilation is af- forded by means of a wisp of straw, which extends up through the center of the covering to the open air. In the illustration, @ repre- sents a pole supporting the boards; 0, six inches of earth; c, eight inches of manure; d, six inches of earth; 2, eight inches of manure; jf, a straw ventilator, and g, a space of eight inches between potatoes and boards. 33 cee! CH) € CY S: ey 234<5 iN ‘ oe aates > | Rate as | Kate i? y | aA at Wien? of Fit Jyraw coverceal Borrou 6 Fell Fura New-loRKen ACHE? OPA OMI. a PeuLGeE as: LARGEST, YIELDERS. E. P. N., Albany, N. Y.—Whait varieties would you select, as likely to give the greatest number of bushels to the acre ? Answer.—Silver Lake, Everett, Summit, Jewell, Columbia, Charter Oak, Morning Star, Early Gem, Snowflake, Late Vermont, White Elephant, or late Beauty of Hebron, White Star, Burbank, Empire State, Home Comfort, Early Maine, Cream of the Field, Dakota Red, R. N.-Y. No. 2, Brownell’s Winner, Corliss’s Matchless, Bonanza, Late Hoosier, Montreal, Green Mountain, Hodgman’s Seed- ling, Nott’s Victor, Pearl of Savoy, Early Puritan, Rural Blush, Min- ister, Tonhosks, Crown Jewel, Polaris, Delaware. Not all of these Brevities. 155 are of good quality, as grown at the Rural Grounds, but the quality may be good in other soils. ABOUT POTATO PLANTING. J. H.N., Afton, N. Y.—I am going to plant about 14 acres of pota- toes on a sandy loam upland. The White Star and Burbank are the kinds mostly raised in this section; would you advise me to plant those or some other varieties, and what kind would you advise? 2. How many bushels shall I allow tothe acre, and if cut, how many eyes to the hill? 3. Would wood ashes be good as a fertilizer ? Answer.—t. It willbe safer on large areas to plant potatoes that you know do well on other farms near you, than to try experiments. New varieties ought always to be tried on small areas. 2. If you cut medium sized potatoes, having a medium number of eyes, to two eyes, and plant one by three feet apart, you will need 12 to 15 bushels. Not less than two strong eyes. Give all the flesh possible. 3. Yes, a splendid fertilizer, but one-sided. On your land, add fine raw-bone flour—4oo pounds to the acre. HOW MUCH SEED POTATOES. J. V. C., Lysander, N. Y.—In planting potatoes for flat culture, how many bushels of seed are needed per acre ? Answer.—The above question cannot be answered definitely. All depends upon the size of the potato, the number of eyes to be planted, the number of eyes in the variety of potato and the distance apart. The best way to find out is to count the potatoes in a barrel, and multipty the number by the number of pieces each potato will give. Then estimate the distance apart at which ‘+ is proposed to plant. If to be planted one by three feet apart, 14,520 pieces will be required for an acre. W.G.S., Benedict, N. Y.—1. Why have we no potato balls now ? Is it on account of the Colorado beetle? 2. How do potatoes ‘¢mix ’’ in the hill ? Answer.—t. It seems to be a law of nature that as we change plants to our needs or ‘‘improve”’ the=1 as we may, they deteriorate in other ways. Thus double flowers are produced at the cost of stamens and pistils. Many fruits—apples, pears, oranges, for example 156 The New Potato Culture. —as they are increased in size become seedless. We grow potatoes for the tubers, and the plants having been propagated by tubers through generations, their nature is changed. We produce larger tubers and more of them. The energy of the plants, which genera- tions ago was divided between tubers and seed balls, is now directed towards tubers entirely. 2. Potatoes do not ‘‘mix’’in the hill. Itis impossible. Any variation in potatoes that appears in the product of the same seed potato, is owing to bud variation—just the same as any green-leaved plant is liable to produce a colored-leaved shoot. These are called ‘‘ sports” for want of a better word. It seems probable, that ‘‘ sports” are really the cropping out of foreign blood or owing to natural or artificial crossing or hybridization, the effects of which, though dormant for years, finally become potent through peculiar conditions. HIGH AND LOW-GRADE FERTILIZERS. An OLp FarMeEr, Monroe County, N. Y.—In 7he Rural of October 25, mention is made of ‘‘low-grade’”’ and ‘‘ high-grade”’ fertilizers. I would esteem it a favor if you would tell me what I am to under- stand by these terms. Does the high-grade contain something that the low-grade does not contain, or is there more of some valuable in- gredient in the high-grade than in the low-grade, and if so, what is it? Oris the difference due to the quality, or solubility, or availa- bility of the ingredients? Please give us an illustration of a high and low-grade article, telling just what each contains, and the value and cost of each. I believe you are right, but many of my neighbors prefer the low-priced fertilizers. Some of them are using dissolved South Carolina rock phosphate, and say that it produces just as good results as the higher-priced article. But perhaps they are not using what you term a ‘‘ high-grade ”’ fertilizer. Answer.—Here is a forcible question—from an experienced farmer, too, ‘‘ Why use a high-grade fertilizer?’ Because (1) it costs no more than a low-grade for freight. Because (2) it costs no more to spread it on your land. Because (3) it costs the firm that mixes it no more than to mix a low-grade. Because (4) the per cent. of plant- food ingredients is (as a rule) higher in high-grades than in low- grades. Breviiies. 157 HGME-MIXED FERTILIZERS. C. S. A., Lansing, Mich.—Does it pay to buy the chemicals and mix them at home ?* Answer.—Yes and no. Nothing pays that is not managed with in- telligence. It is better to buy of a reputable firm, at a fair price, a standard brand of fertilizer than to buy a lot of coarse chemicals and nitrogenous waste and to mix them hap-hazard. It is probably cheaper in the rush of spring work to buy factory-mixed goods than to stop to order chemicals in small quantities and to mix them. In some places, and at exceptional times, factory-mixed goods may be sold at prices so low as to make it altogether more profitable to buy them than to buy and mix fertilizer chemicals. On the other hand, many farmers find it much to their advantage to buy for cash the same fertilizer chemicals that are bought by man- ufacturers, and to mix them for themselves, instead of buying for cash the factory-mixed goods. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES CLAIMED FOR HOME-MIXING ? a. It is easier to prove the quality of separate chemicals than of the mixture of them. It is said that it is quite beyond the chemist’s power to certainly detect inferior forms of nitrogen, for instance, ina mixed fertilizer, but it is certainly very easy to detect them in sul- phate of ammonia, cotton-seed meal, dried blood and the like. 6, By mixing his own fertilizers the farmer can perfectly adapt his fertilizer to his idea of the requirements of his land and crop, and any intelligent farmer is the best or only judge of these requirements. That opinions differ greatly as to the best mixture for any special crop will be very evident to any one who compares the composition of the leading brands of fertilizers specially designed for the potato or the onion crop, for instance. The chance to vary his formula and note the differences that result on the same field in the same year is worth not a little to any man who manages his farm ‘‘ with ancient sinew and with modern art.” c. It is easier for farmers whose land and crops are different, to club together and make an order for fertilizer chemicals large enough *]I am indebted to Dr. E. H. Jenkins, of the Connecticut Experiment Station, for the answer to this question. 158 The New Potato Culture. to secure wholésale rates, than it is to agree on one or two brands of factory-mixed goods which they will order in considerable quantities. a. Commercial fertilizers on most farms are not a substitute for manure, but a supplement to it, and it is often profitable to add to the dressing of manure only a single fertilizing ingredient, ¢. ¢., nitrogen to give an earlier start, phosphoric acid to favor. early ripening, or potash to supply a known deficiency of the soil. This can be done with fertilizer chemicals, not with ready-mixed fertilizers. e. With ordinary business care in searching the market, buying for cash, buying early before the usual sharp rise in chemicals takes place with the opening of the spring trade, mixing the chemicals on the days when out-of-door work cannot be done, while the help on the farm must be paid for just the same—under these conditions home- mixing has been found by many farmers to pay a large profit. Farm- ing can be successful only when business methods are used in every branch. The competition is close and the profits are small in New England farming, but so they are in every kind of business no less than in farming. The per cent. of really successful farmers is very small, but this is just astrue of every other line of business. Care- ful study of the markets he buys and sells in and that he may buy and sell in will generally pay a farmer better than exclusive attention to the production of his crops. PAGE Ammonia salts alone. . . 65 Ashes asia fertilizer... .. . elas Beetles, picking them off .. . . 148 Bone, Raw . . . 182 Brevities ... se, . 149 Bud variation, What i is eee AS oh : . 141 Crops, large, wanted, use an excess of plant food peeks » 5), (98 Crossing, Difficulty about . . 159 Experiment Stations .. . i eae Eyes, blind, How to detect . . 144 Potato . . . 136 what they are. . 136 Fer tilizer above or below fas sect 79, 153 Chemical same as manure... . - 133 Complete ... ot ns 47 es Ls a maximum crop P : . 56 “ constituents needed by land, How 6 and t out. 125 ne experiments a2 High grade. . heer ean some 132, 156 How much may be Aa ternte need owe : 73 ingredients, Supplying more than crops require, dolly 90 CADIESL AG MIR cult olor ser Sean ee hes ee DONDE: 34, : 5d, 56, 58, 59 under or over seed pieces . eas ear os 79, 153 seed pieces, difference in favor .. . $2 Fertilizers. alone, large crops ... < 63 best made up different sorts of pina food 132 character represented in the plant. . 62 chemical, a talk with farmers on 128 commercial, Use of, money spent for dnod agh needed. ane t 88 Farmers should study the science of . 132 Gulerent, dandsYois, (OUD hay ot SRR oLc Speeentn aera ae 69 co Sir J. B. Lawes’ experiments . 61 te Experiments with... 47 High and low grade . . 132, 156 Home mixed . ey Beso laity He ee a they ae : , 158 (159) 160 The New Potato Culture. Fertilizers, How money is thrown away on. . ee Increased quantities, effects. . ee ne a tables. . Profi ee one-sided, low priced, Harm done by ..... ee _ on variable soil, Effects of different quantities. . He used by Mr. Minch .. . “ vs. manures for potatoes Food, Perfect must be supplied . Grafting the potato and tomato . Fandlinioe econ.) Ey rgd) Seat. eases Hilling-up, Oljectons io ae ashe ene Hybrid between potato and Aileeeene ae oe seeds not hybrid. : Land impoverished, faierget Guanine: of ealigs: ws a that needs complete fertilizer, how mane ion use “of the plots . . : : ‘* short in nitrogen, use Fee neces sa high Sue a ogen. ‘ what it requires, How to find out... IBEW oy De eeea ucwot Sic Lime‘as a preserver.: . 2 3. “¢ superphosphate alone . . “« to bring up the land. . “Use of, in the soil . Machinery, Digging by ..... ; Manure, Concentrated and farm, pees names . . Me Farm. 4 aes SH “. and chemical lecotiees) ditfevence ihe a ‘“¢ concentrated... . ee Wwihaithisieane eet 7. Manures, different, Effects of. ee Mineral alone, large crops .. . Moisture, Method of conserving by Trench Eyeten ; Mulch, A new, how prepared. . . es experiments... a Straw for potatoes. . us Valley . Nitrate of soda alone an i palnnced fencer for sae bs éS S yield Gt potatoes)... 2. os “ use of, Mr. Harris’ criticism. . . aoi “ec ac ce ing ce ec reply . ie Pde te of with corresponding supply of minerals ..... a a writers advocating the use of Nitrogen and phosphoric acid needed, buy nitrogen in presneet sail nee foe 8 ay easy to apply top dressing....... fs effect in varying quantities ...... et ID TECtSKOL ECA ta-gepper ips. tor eh ewe ects Index. 161 PAGE Nitrogen, Farmers not to depend upon alone. ...... epee t CORA eet 98 UO: Gentle and conservative in the use of........... use at is oe ies.ehLectsswnen appuedialone, . . . 0. = 6 <5 2 see sues ere 87 s not more valuable than potash and phosphoric acid. ...... 96 es Onlivat OMMONGySeASOM cs lamiet teh saree oat ini ==) =i Sei PRD Ceres ba: Ee WsehlendedHormsysa.t68. s0s9 slo eels wee Sen GY ee 4 OSB ce used without regard to sie Be EM AEE RY seule CE Ree ts Nitrogenous manures alone, Negative meal OL Poa aR ei areecse a set OO: Paris green and plaster preferred ............ TS) ts eRe we en mel bts ss WAL OMICCUODS RON. pad ico ches o) Siiss cela oe aa eres eas 148 oy for potato beetles, Quantity mixed with plaster........ 84 Phosphoric acid, Effects of . he ple Sie Ciao ae Tecan CR gee 7 Plants require food adapted is fete env 5 CeO Pe Ecce ohciion hs Eee 126 Plaster, Causes of variable effectsof ....... Oe nto Gb u As los FOISOMIN OV wemecun srs tcerees Fernsws Woks Peg ones Mee a setts Mae acer dues Shee syick slte BOtasn PMeMeCtsyOLeciai =.) or ah desmibieniaecs of Gh idhe celled er sbmala ues als! be Toe a. 47 PHtato alls ewilvesO Me Ws tad -Maetiee tosplot, half acre: ferbilizersmised|s 2. 4.) tetas ciate cs emis 25 st ee He MINIT Gey 3 og, bets RS so Safes: rete eat ieee ena ne era 27 ne of co Nitrogen! applieady ys ta %. si jisin en eno aetna Som coer cist Vek vom ieee 28 : ss UV TSOEG- PIECES) ia" © ls ch tory Sea sae bro MOAT cath Sena ieee es fal) met Xt es SOS ATT OVA i ete 5 a) a, ey date eH EA, @loe, Melts Cob ula ib WPA rod ate iecpeeigtente 28 she ¢ es © OL POOL SOM. te hers) sec ede oe nana setae WP oe Mitt 26 * “plotsfand.Of 2.50% gu Gets ethane ae cis ash wleteest ae eae eairy dadete wee Sobott om eae 60 sf WHICH ViGldS MOS: seh? tleg ei side) pele gies Shae de el oareicn 48 (> Sraisinio usual Sy Stems) tlic. adi. ssc ceyidsbieb sie as Ge Gaba. poate 119 < ce SEVUINATICALPIOCCS sph an fords: ish ele cele ee RL Lo ele 112 se ts flesh*to cach eye for profitable crop). 3% = 2 a <)-)6 sles = 111 x ( DLICES ditterent mim Dor OleyeSemc mm: wel -icml in ii-nicomeiaeins 110 ae et ee SIZES (CUheTEN G i .c6%e, wequween: Sod Moye ate ge AS ee LO “ ue ‘« variously treated before planting ........... 102 Me cs Dlaniuin gy) een QUT yee SW a Sues eee Cih stra vets baw 137 . te SeleEChOn Ot. hohe seemass ve tin, hie ce SLE pit oh toe ee re ee eS 137 sia ‘« size determined by number and vigor of eyes . ue ie plow . oe EC OER ash ct scty deena: pax. eRe Ebates oreo eae ee ea 120 - Sse WHO \ccimct eeine-Pch ret howe a goa =a Fa gale rebut aan ee Emo tare ql ae a {le DAGIAO VIGGEN descehree ao tel 4, Oona ted aitidels Mase Cus Cap Caemee 122 me iseedlings*eare@Ot.(. ss Aveo.) Gulsy er Gaeae ted SIRES Gs eho prcaes 138 {Skins 'CUCLOLSINGIOCEVCS). cr meatlpelie: saeesteca ttreeice eee hele Lee arma al arene 111 of. Sgbarch imsthe. - 0.0 se ctveucp sie. sa) < a5, 1) Rennes aRuee pope saya eda 67 “« tests, difference between small plots and whole fields....... 35 e { On small areas’. < hy) oeciarie calitey muceresliccsiee othe iea cutie ome elena 34 SS bLODS: analy Ses OL .. cf cpccnne es 2 . “ogy, nor with any _ obstruse reasons of plant growth. It sim- ply tells plainly : and briefly COVERED LAYER OF VIBURNUM, what everyone who sows a seed, makes a cutting, sets a graft, or crosses a flower wants to know. It is entirely new and original in method and matter. The cuts number almost roo, and are made especially for it, direct from nature. The book treats all kinds of cultivated plants, fruits, vegetables, ~ greenhouse plants, hardy herbs, ornamental trees and shrubs, forest trees. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I.—Seedage. CuHaptxr II.—Separation and |Division. CHAPTER III.— Layerage. CHArTEeR IV.—Cuttage. §jCHAPTER V.—Graftage. Including Grafting, Budding, Inarching, etc. CHAPTER VI.—Nursery List. e This is the great feature of the book. It has an alphabetical list of all kinds ofplants, with a short statement telling which of the operations described in the first five chapters are employed in propagating them. Over 2,000 entries are made in the list. The following entries will give an idea ofthe method: ACER (Mapre). Safindacee. Stocks are grown from stratified seeds, which should be sown an inch or two deep; or some species, as A. dasycarpum, come readily if seeds aresimply sown as soon as ripe. Some cultural varieties are layered, but bet- ter plants are obtained by grafting. Varieties of native species are worked upon common or nativestocks. The Japanesesorts are winter-worked upon imported A. polymorphumstocks, either by whip orveneer-grafting. Maplescanalsobe budded in summer, and they grow readily from cuttings of both ripe and soft wood. PHYLLOCACTUS, PHYLLOCEREUS, DISOCACTUS (Lerar-Cactus). Cactee. Fresh seeds grow readily. Sow in rather sandy soil, which is well drained, and apply water as for common seeds. When the seedlings appear, remove to a light position. Cuttings from mature shoots, three to six inches in length. root readily in sharp sand. Give a temperature of about 60°, and apply only sufficient water to keep from flagging. If the cuttings are very juicy, they may be laid on dry sand for several days before planting. GOOSEBERRY. Seeds, for the raising of new varieties should be sown as soon as well cured, in loam or sandy soil, or they may be stratified and sown together well with the sand in the spring. Cuttings six to eight inches long, of the mature wood, inserted two-thirds their length, usually grow readily, especially if taken in August or September and stored during winter. Stronger plants are usually obtained by layers, and the English varieties are nearly always layered in this country. Mound layering is usually employed, the English varieties being allowed to remain in layerage two years, but the American varieties only one (Fig. 27). Layerage plants are usually set in nursery rows for a year afterremoval fromthestools. Green-lay- ering during summer is sometimes practised for new or rare varieties. CuHapPTeR VII.—Pollination, giving directions for making crosses, etc. This book is now completed, and is onsale. Price, in library style, cloth, wide margins, $1; Pocket style, paper, narrow margins, 50 cents. THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., Times Building, New York, Xi. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. HORTICULTURIST’S RULE-Boox. Designed as a pocket companion. The book has been prepared with great care and much labor. It contains in handy and concise form a great number of the rules and receipts required by fruit-growers, truck gardeners, florists, farmers, etc. Undoubtedly the best thing of the kind ever published. BY: L.-H. BAILEY, Editor of The American Garden, Horticulturist of the Cornell Experiment Station and Professor of Horticulture in Cornell University. CONTENTS OF THE Boox. XVI. Miscellaneous tables, figures and Insecticides. Injurious insects, with preventives and remedies. Fungicides for plant diseases. Plant diseases, with preventives and remedies. Injuries from mice, rabbits, birds, etc., with preventives and reme- dies. Weeds. ‘ Waxes and washes for grafting and for wounds, Cements, paints, etc. Seed Tables: 1. Quantities required for sowing givenareas 2. Weight and size of seeds ofkitchen garden vegetables. 3. Longevity ofseeds. 4. Time required for kitchen gar- denseeds to germinate. Planting Tables: 1. Dates for sow- ing or setting kitchen garden veg- etables in different latitudes. 2. Tender and hardy vegetables. 3. Usual distances apart for planting fruitsand vegetables.. 4. Number of plants required to set an acre at given distances apart. Maturity and Yields: 1. Time re- quired for the maturity of kitchen garden vegetables. 2. Time re- quired for the bearing of fruit plants. 3. Longevity offruit plants. 4. Average yields of variouscrops. Methods of keeping and storing fruits and vegetables. Multiplication and Propagation of Plants: 1. Methods ofmultiplying plants. 3. Ways of grafting and budding. 3. Particular methods by which various fruits are propa- gated. 4. Stocks used for various fruits. Standard Measures and Sizes: 1. Standard flowerpots. 2.Standard and legal measures. 3. English measures for saleof fruits and veg- etables, Tables of weights and measures. XXI. XXII. XVIII. XXIV. KXV. notes: 1. Quantities of water heldinpipesandtanks, 2. Ther- mometer scales. 3. Effect of wind in cooling glass roofs. 4. Per cent. oflight reflected from glass at various angles of inclination. 5. Weights of various varieties of apples per bushel. 6. Amount of. various products yielded by given quantities offruit. 7. Labels. 8. Miscellany. Rules: 1. Loudon’s rules of hor- ticulture. 2. Rules of nomencla- ture. 3. Rules for exhibition. Postal rates and regulations. Weather signs, and protection from frost. Collecting and preserving: 1. How to make an herbarium. 2. Preserving and printing of flowers and other parts of plants. 3. Keeping cut-flowers. 4. Perfum- ery. 5. Howto collect and pre- serve insects. Elements, symbols and analyses: 1. The elements and their chemi- cal symbols. 2. Chemical com- position of a few common sub- Stances: Analyses: (a) Fruits and Vegetables; (6) Seeds and Fertilizers; (c) Soils and Min- erals. Names and histories: 1. Vee- etables which have different names in England and America. 2. Derivation of names ef various fruits and vegetables. 3. Names of fruits and vegetables in various languages. 4. Periods of culti- vation and native countries ofcul- tivated plants. Facts and statistics of horticulture and the vegetable kingdom. Glossary of technical words used by horticulturists. Calendar. Price in library style cloth, wide margins, $1; pocket style, paper, narrow margins, 50 cts. THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, N. Y. Annals of Horticulture for 1890, BY PROFESSOR L. H. BAILEY. As a work of reference for all students of plants and nature, this will be invaluable. No one whoexpects to keep up with the progress of the times can be without it. An es- pecial feature of the volume for 1890 wili be a census of cultivated plants of American origin, with dates of introduction and extent of variation under culture. This includes all ornamentals and all esculents, and will include hun- dreds of entries. It will form an invaluable contribution to the knowledge of the origin and var- iation of plants. The novelties of 1890, tools and conveniences of the year, directories, lists of plant por- traits, including all the leading journals of the world this year, recent horti- cultural literature, and other chapters, are each alone worth many times more than the cost of the book. What have horticulturists thought about during 1890? This is the theme of the book. Profusely Illustrated. In full cloth, $1; Paper, GO cents. THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., Times Building, New York. FEttetereessresesresercses Chrysanthemum Culture for America, xi History of the Chrysanthemum; Classification and Care. By JAMES MORTON. An excellent and thorough book; especially adapted to the culture of Chrysanthemums in America. The chapters include: Oriental and European History. American History. Propagation, General Culture. Exhibition Plants, Insects and Diseases. Sports and Other Variations. Chrysanthemum Shows and Organizations. Classification. Varieties for Various Purposes, Calendar of Monthly Operations. Thus it will be seen that the author covers the field quite thoroughly. No other book yet published on this subject approaches this in special value for American lovers of the ‘‘ Queenof Autumn.”’ Illustrated. Pages, about 120. PRICE, Cloth, $1.00; Paper, 60 cents. PRUYN POTATO DIGGER We have now successfully passed through four potato har- vests since our machines were placed on the market. They are a success from Maine to California, in lightness of draft, strength and durability; conveni- ent to operate by man and team, not injuring the crop, digging shallow or deep, and insuring a posi- tive separation of the potatoes from the earth. There is a great demand for a successful potato digger, and we must have orders early to fill them all in time to harvest the crop. We send our machines on trial, and guarantee them to give satisfaction before asking settlement. Please write us how the crop is this year, and what you think the demand will be for a successful digger in your vicinity , also state when the earliest potatoes will be ready to show our ma- chine. Our orders are coming in very fast, so we wish to hear from you early, as we are anxious to reach all good sections. We desire a good agent in every locality to canvass for our ma- chine, and take orders subject to the warranty on our order blanks and circulars. Kindly give us the names of all large potato growers that we may mail them our new 24-page cata- logue. We desire to find the best localties and the true con- dition of the potato market and crop, to publish with the view to giving growers accurate information in regard to the crop outlook. Send for circulars. HENRY S. PRUYN, Pres., HOOSICK FALLS, N. Y. I have used one of your diggers, and it works complete; it digs anywhere; gets all the potatoes and leaves them convenient to pick up. Two horses will draw it as easy asa plow. R. O. HALSTEAD, Mantua Sta., O. Haying used the Potato Digger, can say, I believe it to be one of the greatest labor- saving machines out. N. WRIGHT, Bridge Hampton, L. I. “UOIIN ‘SHOAl OO4U.L “OO ONINNLOVANNVI TIVMNIdSY ‘9017 IME RMON PrBysNyyT — "015 ‘SOVIISNA ‘SNVaqg ‘NYOO SLNV 1d ‘poeos}ueseny Ajo Njosqy "“SdaZi Laas SaLNEIaLsiad "u0eiadg 9uQ U! [IV iS49AOD isdoig Wf iSMOAIN 4 14 iS44eWW Ui , (UOIUSAU] UJOPOIAl Sana here Nid aN Nd As we Make Good Fertilizers We should like to be in the Potato Contests for 1891-2, with POWELL’S Green Bag Potato Fertilizer POTATOES THIS FERTILIZER CONTAINS: | Pe CLUES Pete ats eine Win fe oss ete Genus vs ces eee DE Gene, PA Ud See Mea OER ec cies ages eps eo i Phosphoric Acid; available 0. 2.0 oo es RS 66 Price, $38 per ton, freight paid to Philadelphia, New York, or Boston. We invite tests with any Potato Fertilizer in the world. Keeping a larger assortment of pure fertilizer materials than any one firm in the United States, and having a factory ar- ranged for special mixtures, we can make fertilizers of any proportions of plant foods at just your agricultural experiment station valuations. Our pamphlet, the A B C of Agriculture, is useful and interesting. We will send it free to readers of this book. Respectfully, W.S. POWELL & CO.. Chemical Fertilizer Manufacturers, Offices, 217 and 219 BOWLY’S WHARF, BALTIMORE, MD. IMMENSE COPS ‘c' JILapes Manures WILMER ATKINSON (Farm Journal) on the Potato Crops (1890) Grown with the Mapes Potato Manure: We have to record some astonishing results in growing large crops of potatoes with Mapes’ Potato Manure the past season. Mr.R. A. Chisholm, Del Norte, Colorado, by the aid of Mapes’ Manure, now so favorably known to Farm Journal readers, won the Amer- tcan Agriculturist second prize for the season of 1890, One thousand pounds per acre of the manure was used, and 847% bushels per acre were grown. The two largest crops grown with barnyard manure were 434 and 375 bushels. The second largest crop ever grown with fertilizers from one planting on one acre, was produced in Aroostook County, last year, by Philo H. Reed, being 745 bushels and 25 pounds, and this also by the aid of Mapes’ Potato Manure. The great crop* (1,031 bushels on one acre), grown in 1889, by Alfred Rose, Penn Yan, N. Y., came from two plantings, each growing side by side. The crop which secured the first American Agriculturist prize for 1890, was won by W.J. Sturges, of Wyoming, who produced 947 bushels and 48 pounds per acre, with irrigation without manure, which shows what virgin soil, rich in potash, will do. The sixth prize in the American Agriculturist contest the year before, was won by Mr. Nesbit, of Colorado, whose farm adjoins Mr. Chisholm’s, who used a heavy application of stable manure only, his yield being 491 bushels, or 356 bushels less per acre than Chisholm’s crop grown with the Mapes’ Manure. In growing Mr. Chisholm’s crop, the land was marked out and drilled three inches deep in furrows, thirty-three and one-half inches apart with the Aspinwall Potato Planter. The seed was dropped by hand ten inches apart in the furrows on May 16th, making 18,- 360 hills onthe acre. Then 500 pounds of Mapes’ Potato Manure was strewn by hand through the furrows, and, of course, directly upon the seed. Now the seed was covered two inches deep with the Aspinwall Potato Planter. Another lot of 500 pounds of Mapes’ Potato Ma- nure was sown evenly by hand directly over or along the furrows. The two years’ Ag77- culturist contests have clearly demonstrated the superiority of fertilizers or chemical ma- nures over stable manure for potatoes. [From the American Agriculturist, May 18th, 1888.] Crops of Corn, too Bushels and over. Crops of too bushels of shelled corn are rare, but they are not an impossibility. We have seen, on the farm of Mr. E. S. Carman, on Long Island, a crop of one hundred and thirty-four (134) bushels of shelled corn raised on one acre of land. The variety grown was Blount’s Prolific, the soil a light sandy loam, the fertilizer used was the Mapes’ Corn Manure, applied three or four times during the season—altogether not over one quarter of a ton—and the cultivation consisted of running a cultivator between the rows after every rain, and after the application of the fertilizer. The labor and expense bestowed upon this acre was not more than any intelligent farmer gives to his crop, if he expects a big yield. On the same farm four acres of Chester County Corn yielded eight hundred and fifty-six (856) bushels of corn ears, the best acre 159.37 bushels shelled corn, the poorest 63.74, aver- age 113.69, actual measurement.—Zditors. Send for descriptive pamphlet on the Mapes’ Manures— Potatoes, Truck, Fruits, Fruit Trees, Farm Crops. Mailed Free. THE MAPES FORMULA and PERUVIAN GUANO CO., 158 Front St, N. Y. Let Potato Growers Read this Page Carefully. Breed’s Universal Weeder and Cultivator One of the greatest labor-saving implements on the market. Especially adapted to the culture of potatoes. Every potato grower should make inquiries as to its merits. lve 7 READ WHAT SOME OF THEM SAY ABOUT IT. FLATLANDS, L. I., January 6, 189r. UNIVERSAL WEEDER Co. Dear Sirs: Replying to your recent favor, would say that I should like the agency for Kings County, N. Y., the coming summer. Of the two Weeders I bought of you last sea- son, one I sold and the other I used myself on potatoes. The party to whom I sold the Weeder told me the other day that if he could not get another he would not take $200 for it; and I certainly would not for mine, if I could not replace it. Yyurs very truly, BYRON WHITCOMB. East VIEW FARM, OXFORD, O., /ume 12, 1890. UNIVERSAL WEEDER Co., North Ware, N. H. Gentiemen: The spring has been most unfavorable for the use of your Weeder, as there have been ten or fifteen days at a time that it rained continually, and by the time we could work the land it would be packed and weedy. I have for these reasons been able to use it on only one field, where it has given entire satisfaction. It keeps the land clean and mellow and is just what I have been wanting for years: an implement that would break the crust just at the right time after a rain and stop the growth of the weeds, and check evapora- tion by furnishing an earth mulch. We find that with rows of fair length we can work two acres an hour with it. I think it would be especially adapted to a dry season, as the land could be worked level and kept mellow so as to largely control evaporation. Weareusing the Weeder to-day on a field of potatoes a foot high, and it does the best work it has done yet, for we have hit just the right condition of soil. Respectfully yours, WALDO F. BROWN. The Rural New Yorker, giving the result of their experiment acre of potatoes, meth- od of culture, etc., says: ‘“* Subsequent experience with Breed’s Universal Weeder satisfies us as to the value of this implement, and with next year’s crop we shall start the Weeder a week after the potatoes are planted, and keep it going at intervals of a few days, until the potatoes are four inches high.” 4Q> SEND FOR DESCRIPTIVE CIRCULARS AT ONCE. ~@U PRICE OF WEEDER. Standard Length, 7 feet 4 inches, Permanent Teeth ............. $10 00 ss Wem Removable Teeth. ............. 12 00 THE UNIVERSAL WEEDER CO., North Ware, N. H. SEED POTATOES Of all the Best Varieties, RURAL NEW-YORKER No. 2. This variety was originated by Mr. E. S. Carman, on the Rural Experimental Grounds, and is probably the most prolific and best of all the intermediate varieties. Price for the season of 1891: bushel, $2.50; barrel, $5.50. EMPIRE. STATE. Bushel, $2.50; barrel, $5. EARLY ROSE, Selected stock. Bushel, $2; barrel, $4.50. EARLY SUNRISE. Very early; superior quality. Bushel, $2; bbl., $4.50. All other varieties furnished on short notice. Prices are subject to market flunctuations. GEORGE R. KNAPP, TENAFLY, New Jerseu. ga Reference: Zhe Rural New-Vorker, New York City. What Is The Rural New-Yorker ? The MOST TRUSTWORTHY of any paper of its class printed.—J. J. Harrison, President of the Storrs & Harrison Company. Everybody that zs a body knows of the UNIQUE INDIVI- DUALITY of the Rurat along the lines of original experi- mental investigation.—J. J. H. GRecory. The editor of the RuRaL NEw-YorkER has opened an entirely NEW FIELD OF INVESTIGATION, the possibilities of which cannot be-conjectured.—NorMan J..COLMAN. THe Rurat New-YorKER has DONE MORE FOR FAR- MERS than nine-tenth of all the land-grant colleges and Ex- periment stations.—WMew York Tribune. We have seen on the farm of the editor of THE RuraL NEw- YORKER a crop of 134 bushels of shelled corn raised on one acre of land.—American Agriculturist. Tue Rurat New-Yorker illustrates the PROGRESS made by the agricultural class, much of which is due to the inspira- tion of THE RuraL New-YorkKER, and the papers which follow its example.—Lr. Gov. E. F. Jones. THE Rurat New-YorkER has DONE MORE TO PRO- MOTE THE TRUE INTERESTS OF AGRICULTURE than all the Experiment Stations put together.— Zhe New York Times. The best farm weekly in the world.—farm Journal. $2.00 a year. On trial, ten weeks, 25 cents. THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, New York. ( ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT, no matter what, at REDUCED COST, in return for sending us clubs of subscriptions. THE AJMERICHN GARDEN Combines in one magazine the old Horticulturist of Andrew Jackson Downing, established in 1846; The Gardener’s Monthly of Marot and Meehan, established in 1857; The Floral Cabinet of Henry T. Williams, established in 1871, and The American Garden of Dr. ¥. M, Hexamer, established in 1872. Edited by Professor L. H. BAILEY, practical horticulturist, Professor of Florticulture tn Cornell University and Florticulturist of the Cornell Experi- ment Station, It is the only independent, illustrated magazine of Horticulture and Country Lifeinthe world. Itis the Livest, Brightest, Largest, Handsomest, most Valuable Rural Magazine published anywhere. It is in magazine form, with a beautiful cover, averages over 100 pages, 140 articles and 40 illustrations in each number, aggregating over 1,200 pages, 1,600 articles and 500 illustrations in a year; written and prepared by hun- dreds of bright writers, original thinkers, successful specialists and practi- cal horticulturists in all parts of the world. Original from cover to cover, Its special features include: BROAD DISCUSSIONS of economic questions by leading thinkers. Re- lations of soil culture to government and society. The old and the new in farming. Development of new industries, etc., etc. FRUIT CULTURE, embracing all branches, climates and conditions, from apples in Maine and Minnesota to oranges in Florida and California; small fruits and tree fruits of every.description; grapes in the vineyard and un- der glass; diseases of fruits; insect enemies; nut culture; new varieties. Illustrated. FLORICULTURE. comprising descriptions of varieties and methods of culture. Accounts of all the new introductions; conservatory and greenhouse management; beds and bedding; artistic arrangement; commercial floricul- ture; window gardening. Illustrated. LANDSCAPE GARDENING in all its phrases, from park construction and management down to the arrangement of the smallest places. Illustrated. VEGETABLE GARDENING.—Growing vegetables for market and home use, under glass and out-doors. New varieties. J llustrated. GREENHOUSE CONSTRUCTION, heating, ventilation, etc. Illustrated. “THE EDITOR’S OUTLOOK’’ discusses current topics of interest to all agriculturists. ‘FIRST FRUITS” chronicles recent happenings in the horticultural field. “BOOKS AND BULLETINS” is a most important department, giving, as it does, the gist of the work of the Experiment Stations extracted from their hulletins, review of books, etc. TERMS: $2.00 a year; $1.00 for six months; 50 cents for three months. In club with THE RuraLt NEw-YoOrRKER, both one year for $3.00. On Trial THREE MONTHS FOR 25 CENTS for introduction. THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., Times Building, N. Y. nin