THE POTATO CROP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 190, 10 August 1895, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE POTATO CROP.

m ■ 8 ••.-••'■ I ml p<tfl_Eo29 require mellow soil, depth and i H \fojnett being more important than rich« m nee. *a *"al>la l°ams fck° potato I doßiteßfc A plan very generally adopted 1 i^j Auckland province is to grow a crop 1 when the grass land want* re--1 »9*i»_(' FrolQ An __ust( t0 Ocbober U B the best timo for planting the ma^a 1 potato crop, the time being largely I Jnfine-tced by the locality and the

If mllbf °fa 'an(*' Jb *8 a question as I to whether autumn or spring ploughing i<* if Jeafc for potaboes? bub tbe consensus of Si rojoiott seems to be that fresh cultivatioll H girts the best results. The plan generally H *dopftd here in breaking dp grass land and H pubtinff in potatoes, and one which seems _ to gf_e general satisfaction, is to skimm pldogn the grass land in May about 2Jirr m deep* 101 l and barrow and cross plough about H 6'ifikf Spring i finely pulverise wibh the harI rows, roll and planb. From 10 to iScwtt of S teed Will be required per acre* varying of if course according to the size and bho dis 1--1 tafl-e apart. As to the kind of sets, opinions differ Widely. Tbe single eye-CUt--tin* &.a hot so many advocates as formerly, end ii is generally conceded bhat ib is safest to plane a fair sized piece. The majority, however use the small potatoes, because thfly are cheaper j require less labour, and ltd no so liable to rob when planted. Some rut large seed, and divide into three or four parti, leaving two eyes in each set: Ib is wall to place bbc seed in Warmth and snriligM ii Week before cubbing them up, and if the cut Sets are laid on a dry floor, add tilted ashes or dry lime sprinkled over them, | i skin or Coating will be formed over the cub part, rendering them' less liable to rob when planted. A greab! poiob ia tbab the seed should be tonad, well and thoroughly developed, «nd nob weakened by sproubing in the cellar or pits. A changed seed is of Gen bo ta recommended, as on some soils certain varieties rapidly deteriorate, the limit of I profitable production being only two or m three years. On other soils these same ]ii varieties may have a much longer period of m paying production. m The distance between the rows depends |j upon the variety of potato. Those which H proctdce large tops should be planbed in m rows aboub three feet apart, while bbc ■ (salt bop varieties may be planted about H two to two a-half feet distant. The object si. to have a complete shading of the H ground. This is of particular importance Mm a dry season. Four incheß ia aboub tbe ff best depth for planting. This avoids much M tilling and yeb allows for easy harvesting. B Iha drills are marked oub with a bwo-horae 9 reversible plough, letting the plough run H ibonb four inches deep turning tbe f| farrows down hill which form a bank on tbe Blower side. Where land is steep the m toil oaunob be worked up bill from the H !ower j side. The cub seed is pressed into 1| t__ side of the furrow ab the bottom, tbe Ii pieces being placed from 12 to 15 inches H »part. With the same plough and one H horse walking in the trench, bhe seed is P covered throwing bho soil bhe same way as H before, nob back. The bubers are covered m ifloiiifbur inches deep, and the ground ia m iwd-thirds re ploughed, two furrows being p thrown for every one against which seed is II planted. The width of tlie furrow burned .?.] by the plough regulates the distance apart gf *f tbe rows. From bhe bime the potatoes p are planted till bhey break through the H g-onad, they should be harroWed several p times in the aame direction they Were li covered, but not across the furroWs. it A potato field should bo kept clean from II ftetitoe of planbing to the harvesting of |^ the crop. Many potato fields are allowed H to become so overrun with weeds as to H teaks the eoßb of harvesting more than all ft ether labour given during bhe season-. ft &eep the weeds down from the start, and R 'he tubers will be larger and bhe yield m heavier. -In the matter of selecting m > variety it is important t-hab ib should be if thebeßtaa regards bobh yield and quality. ft Old *run out' sorbs will nob pay. Coni; Arable abtenbion has been given during j the flast few years to a new hybrid potato I «oWn as the ' Bruce,' Which it is claimed H knot only a prolific sorb, but also a good if tuber. It has been grown B great success both in England and If Bcotland, and an experiment with this 8 ab bhe Lincoln School of Agriculture |l 'Mbple of years ago, gave very good re- | gjfet In tbe state of New York, a variety si' Wed the 'Maggie Murphy' has lately . 'MAS to light, and ib is reported to be both I *leavy yielder add blighb proof. Some J '^efciea which have been largely soven in 1W Zealand are bhe Dei-went, Mftgntiui "WhtOj,, Lapstones, Itnperator,.- and Rid-