NO. 13-FARM DEPARTMENT.

POTATO CULTURE.-VARIETIES-EXPERIMENTS WITH DIFFERENT
AMOUNTS OF SEED.

The writer has received a number of letters from different parts of the State of similar import to the following, from a well-known farmer of Ionia county:

"MY DEAR SIR:-I desire to ask a few questions as to your experience at the College Farm, in the planting and raising of potatoes, as to the amount of seed to be put in a hill, the distance between the rows, the distance between the hills, in the rows, the proper time to plant for winter use, etc.

"Considering the importance of the potato crop it does seem to me that more should be known as to the best method of raising the crop.

"Of all the farm crops raised in no one is there such a diversity of practice as in the cultivation and raising of potatoes."

This bulletin is sent out as a reply to queries of this sort, and with the hope that it may be of use, not so much to the potato specialist as to those who have had but little experience in growing this important crop, or who have never given much attention to their methods.

POTATO CULTURE.-SOILS AND FERTILIZERS.

The soils best adapted to the potato are sandy and gravelly loams. Clay soils, if the season be wet, produce very poor potatoes, and they will be much more liable to rot than those grown on sandy land.

An old pasture turned over or any sod ground is specially fitted for the growth of the potato.

A little well rotted compost harrowed in thoroughly upon such a sod, to give the plants a good start, will usually give a fair crop upon comparatively poor soil. The potatoes grown upon sod are usually smoother, less liable to rot and of superior quality.

The application of fresh stable manure is not desirable on potato land, as it frequently results in a diminished yield and greatly increases the liability

to rot.

Mucky soils in a dry season often produce a good crop; but as they are deficient in organic matter an application of leached ashes will be found desirable to supply the potash essential to the growth of the potato.

Ashes may be considered as a special fertilizer for potatoes, adding to the yield and improving the quality.

They can be used on the hill or in it. A good way is to mix them with the earth that covers the seed; or as a top dressing after the plants are fairly started.

PREPARATION OF THE SOIL.

The soil should be thoroughly plowed and harrowed until it is well pulverized and leveled. More potatoes can be grown in drills three feet apart and from twelve to eighteen inches apart in the drill than when the ground is rowed each way and the planting is in hills three feet apart.

It is more work, however, to keep the potatoes clean, and necessitates more or less hand hoeing.

In field culture we think rowing both ways and planting in hills three feet apart each way the most economical and satisfactory. In cultivation keep the land free from weeds and as level as possible; avoid hilling up, because hills heat and cool more rapidly than a level surface, and feel the effect of drought more. Use a marker that makes a deeper furrow than the corn marker. The varieties that produce tubers close together require deeper planting, or the upper ones will be exposed above ground. It is better to cover such varieties to the depth of five or six inches.

Deep planting, especially on sandy soil, is a good rule to adopt in potato. culture.

SEED.

For seed select perfect specimens of good shape and of medium size rather than the largest potatoes, and cut with three or four eyes on a piece. Some growers think it best to cut the potatoes some days before planting, spread them on a floor and sprinkle with gypsum or land plaster.

I am of the opinion that it is quite as well to cut them when planted. It is often, however, desirable to have the cutting done before the hurried time of planting.

My own experience leads me to question the practicability of cutting to single eyes and planting three or four eyes in a hill. We prefer one piece

with three or four eyes to less or more seed.

The expense of cutting to one eye is no small item.

If the weather is dry there is so little of the potato that it dries up altogether or makes but a sickly growth. The larger piece has vitality enough to start a good healthy plant.

TIME OF PLANTING.

Some growers favor early planting. Some seasons the early planted give best returns, and other seasons the late.

We generally intend to plant the main crop about the middle of May, and while no rule can be adopted as to time, we are inclined to the opinion that in most localities in Michigan it is early enough.

CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING.

If the potatoes are a long time coming up, it is best to run over the field with a light harrow. Anything that will stir the ground sufficiently to cause the death of the little weeds and break the crusted surface will answer. When the rows can be seen, with a shovel plow cover the rows of new plants with about two inches of earth. This should be done thoroughly. Frequent cultivation during the growing season is essential to a good crop, and if attended to properly there will be little need of hand labor.

In August it is well to go through the fields, each hand taking from four to six rows, and pull any large weeds that may have escaped the cultivator. Dig as soon as thoroughly ripe, and when the ground is dry, if possible. Store in a cool, dry place.

We have never had a potato digger that proved satisfactory, and still continue to dig in the old-fashioned way with hooks.

VARIETIES.

The

We have been testing several of the newer varieties for some years. Beauty of Hebron and Burbank's Seedling are our main sorts for field culture.

They yield well and are of excellent quality. The Early Ohio, Clark's No. 1, the Rural Blush, and the White Star, are good yielding sorts, but they have not proved equal, with us, in smoothness, uniform size and quality, to the two varieties first named.

I clip from the New England Homestead a few notes, on papers on potato culture, read at the winter meeting of the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture, by Hon. Edmund Hersey, of Hingham, Mass., and Major Alvord, of Houghton Farm, N. Y.

Mr. Hersey is said to have had a lifetime of observation and experience with this crop, and Major Alvord is known as a careful experimenter. It will be seen that there is some difference in the opinions expressed.

"Mr. Hersey said, thus far, he has got the most, the largest, and the best quality of potatoes from small tubers cut two eyes to a piece. Here are his conclusions:

"1. The shape of a potato cannot be changed by the continued selection of any particular form of the seed planted. 2. The crop may be increased by selecting for seed healthy, well kept tubers, and diminished by selecting for seed diseased and poorly kept potatoes. 3. Hard potatoes that have sprouted but little are better for seed than those that are soft, or have any long sprouts. 4. Long continued planting of any variety gradually changes its characteristics. 5. Large crops are only obtained on rich soils, well prepared by being thoroughly pulverized. 6. In ordinary field culture the size of the tubers planted should be sufficient to give the young plants a vigorous start. 7. Neither the size or form of the seed tuber is of half as much consequence as is its healthy condition or its vital powers. 8. No rule can be laid down in regard to the quantity of seed per acre, the amount of manure to be applied, or the particular method of cultivation. 9. One or half a dozen experiments are not sufficient to establish any particular facts, and each one must experiment for himself on his own farm.

"Following Mr. Hersey's address, came the reading by Secretary Russell of a paper from Major Alvord detailing the experiments with potatoes at Houghton Farm, New York, during the past season. A collection of tubers grown in this experiment were displayed at several of the Massachusetts fairs the past fall. The result of the trial was that the planting of fair-sized whole potatoes was the most satisfactory in result. This was true not only of a single kind, but was the average of 128 different kinds, treated exactly alike except in the form or cutting of the seed. In productiveness alone, the seven leading varieties stand in this order: American Giant, Burrough's Garfieid, Cheeseman's Seedling, Riker's Graft, Chief, Beauty of Hebron, O. K., Mammoth Prolific. In greatest number of merchantable tubers, this is the order of preference: Farina, Blush No. 2, Chicago Market, Defiance, Beauty of Hebron, Rural Blush, Burrough's Garfield, Adirondack. Of the varieties in these lists, these are objectionable because rough and of bad shape: Chicago Market, Burrough's Garfield, Adirondack, American Giant (rather deep eyes), Cheeseman's Seedling, Defiance. And this leaves as favorably recorded on account of gross productiveness and merchantable in regard to both quantity and condition, the Beauty of Hebron only.

"The Beauty of Hebron, all in all, is the best potato grown.

This was

the general verdict of the meeting. The potato election in the Homestead last spring had the same result."

RESULTS FROM PLANTING DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF SEED ON COLLEGE

FARM.

1. The question is often asked, in planting potatoes, what amount of seed will give the best returns in yield and quality.

Potato growers differ greatly in their views,-from a single eye to each hill to a whole potato.

I am of the opinion, however, that most of the tests made indicate that when potatoes are cut to about three eyes to the piece, and one piece planted in a hill, the yield and quality will be better than with a greater or less amount of seed.

2. Desiring to add our mite, in determining this question, five plats of potatoes were planted on June 2, 1885, of the Burbank variety.

The soil was a sandy loam, well adapted to potato culture. No fertilizers were used except a dressing of well-rotted barn-yard manure, which was plowed under. The plats were put in good condition, rows three feet apart, and potatoes planted eighteen inches apart in row.

During the season of growth the soil was thoroughly cultivated and kept free from weeds.

3. The following notes give the appearance of the vines and other items of interest during the growing season, while the table gives the number of plats, amount of seed, date of planting and digging, weight of large and small potatoes, total weight of each plat, per cent of small potatoes.

NOTES ON POTATO EXPERIMENTS.

June 25. Those from one eye are very thin. Did not come up as well as the others. There are from one to two stalks in a hill. Those from two eyes are larger and not so thin; but not so large as those from more seed. From three to five stalks in a hill. Those from three eyes are making good strong growth, with from five to eight stalks in a hill. Those from. one-half of a potato are making rank growth, having tops nearly as large as those from whole potatoes. Those from whole potatoes present the largest growth, having from five to ten stalks in a hill. The tops are not

as rank as some of the others; they are long and slim.

June 30. Vines from whole potatoes are largest; and from one eye the smallest.

Those from one eye do not spread out so much.

July 7.

July 14.

Same as last observation.

Those from whole potatoes and those from half are nearly same in growth. Those from one eye are large, but there are only two or three stalks in a hill.

The vines from three eyes are very strong, making vigorous growth. Observations were taken at various times during the season, but there were no apparent changes from condition referred to in these notes.

The table gives the results so far as yield is concerned. There was very little difference as regards the quality. The potatoes from whole seed were not quite as smooth as those from a less amount of seed. They grew more rough and scraggy than the others. The table indicates that three eyes in

a hill gave the best results as to quality and quantity of large marketable potatoes:

We intend to continue this experiment through a series of years.

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

April 10, 1886.

SAM'L JOHNSON, Professor of Agriculture and Superintendent of the Farm.

NO. 14.-ENTOMOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT.

THE CODLING MOTH AND BARK LOUSE.

CODLING MOTH. Carpocapsa pomonella Linn.-This insect, though so well known as a larva-the "apple worm"-is not familiar even to many of our wisest fruit growers in its mature or moth state. Hence the desirability of a brief description of its size, markings and habits, even in a paper written wholly to give practical instruction to practical folks.

The moth (Fig. 1, f and g) is accurately represented in the figure, in form and size. The main color is gray flecked with darker dots and bars,