Dreer's garden calendar for 1887 . dreersgardencale1887henr Year: 1887 FOR THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 25 Well and profi ^jpQHE best soil for potatoes is a rich, sandy or gravelly loam, which permits the free passage of water y$\ after heavy rains. v-^7* The potato, being a gross feeder, requires a liberal application of manure ; if stable manure is to be used, it should be well rotted, and not allowed to come in contact with the tubers. On no other crop are the results from the use of phosphates so manifest as on the potato, almost invariably the tubers are smoother, brighter, and freer from ru
Dreer's garden calendar for 1887 . dreersgardencale1887henr Year: 1887 FOR THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 25 Well and profi ^jpQHE best soil for potatoes is a rich, sandy or gravelly loam, which permits the free passage of water y$\ after heavy rains. v-^7* The potato, being a gross feeder, requires a liberal application of manure ; if stable manure is to be used, it should be well rotted, and not allowed to come in contact with the tubers. On no other crop are the results from the use of phosphates so manifest as on the potato, almost invariably the tubers are smoother, brighter, and freer from rust and the destructive influence of wire worms. The soil should be constantly stirred through the season to prevent the surface from baking. Many seem to consider it harm- ful, after the potatoes have set, to disturb the soil in any way ; this is contradicted by the experience of the best growers, who run the cultivator until the vines are dead. In some sections 'flat culture' is preferred to ' ridging,' especially where droughts prevail, or the soil is very loose and sandy. For seed potatoes, select well formed tubers of good size. Some growers cut to one eye, leaving as large a piece as possible attached. About 8 bushels are required by this method to properly seed an acre. Many successful growers plant medium size potatoes whole, maintaining that, though there is an increase in small potatoes, there is a corresponding increase of marketable stock. That this is borne out by results the following table, which has been made from careful competitive trials, will show. Taking 100 as a basis, the account stands: Whole Potatoes, large, 100 per cent. Whole Potatoes, small, 79 ' ' Single eye, ' ' Some growers cut their seed in halves lengthwise, while others cut them in quarters, both using large potatoes. Under ordinary cultivation the process of cutting to a single eye is to, be deprecated, for the young plants, not having sufficient nutriment, often start off weak, while man
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