PRODUCTION OF POTATOES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 8

PRODUCTION OF POTATOES.

The costs incurred in growing potatoes cannot well be dodged, now that the best ot our soiis can no longer with reason be termed “virgin ’ in the generally understat'd sense of the term. All manner of soils, no doubt, will grow potatoes if lavishly manured, but to be well suited a soil should possess some essential conditions, such as good drainage, freedom from acidity l , absence of weeds of all kinds, and natural or artificial richness. To ensure these conditions costs money. It penny wise and pound foolish to tinker with a farm soil, and of necessity harvest only half a crop, when by studying tubers’ requirements “some” crop may be garnered. The cultivation must be deep and thorough, and perfect tilths at the time of seeding are desirable, though these can be obtained in a measure by deep stirring between the rows after the planting is done. Generous manuring of this crop usually pays, and possibly there is nothing to equal farmyard manure supplemented with artificials. Dung exerts an excellent influence on the land, as it retains moisture during dry seasons, and prevents that cessation of growth which on unmanured land is the 'cause of loss of quality in the potatoes. Most farm crops respond to some dominant ingredient in a fertiliser—that is to say, they “do” better, if provided with the constituent which analysis tells us is more or less largely present in potato, roots, or grains, etc., respectively. Potatoes usually' give a, better vield when potash manures are applied. The land should have a good lime content preferably supplied in some previous crop, and there will then be little danger of using a phosphatic manure. Provided the land is in good heart the weight of the crop will largely depend on the available supply of nitrogen within the soil—the reason really whv potatoes do so well on land just cleared of bush. So much.for the soil conditions. We can presume that the seed tubers have been kept in a cool, dry store or “clamp,” where sprouting will be at a minimum. Opinions will vary in regard to whether whole seed or cut tubers should be used, and also in respect to the size of the seed. There is one point, however, in connection with cut potatoes that should be observed—viz., the sets should not be cut until required for planting, as the longer they' remain out of the ground after cutting the greater will be the loss in vitality. In many cases the source of the seed is of more importance than the variety or its treatment. Seed of poor vitality from a heavy yielding variety will not produce as large a vield as seed of good vitality from a poor-yielding variety —beware shrivelled tubers. In some districts the potato tops drv up before frost comes, and the chances are the seed will be of poor vitality, due to maturing in hot. dry weather, or to the premature drying up of the tops. It might pay' growers to part with all their crop and secure their seed from districts where the potato tons remain green until killed by frosts. It has been proved time and again that miniature tuber:' are better than wellmatured tubers for seed purposes. This is no fanciful idea, but is recognised the world over—in the Homeland and throughout Australasia. If we only paid sufficient attention to securing seed tubers from well-developed and heavy cropping plants our eroos might yield half ns much again as they do at present, and at the same costs for tillage and planting operations. etc. Nice-looking seed from lowyielding parents will ever prove a bad epewdatiou. The actual total vield of potatoes mnv be great l '' increased hv using sprouted seed. In addition, the earliuess o f ihe crop mnv ho materially increased. Tfie potatoes should he sprouted ip ounso +finf. the resulting sprouts will fin green. short and stocky : not long, white. - r,-1 fonder. like those grown in the dark. The tuber® can bp sprouted practically anywhere, provided the frosts are Vent out ” Potato®® are planted on the flat or on ffir ridge in the same planner ns roots • generally in row® from ?oin to 7 a’n in wi-'Rh. and the set® from Win to ooin opart Ip tkp flat,: and 97m to 70m from row to row. and from 10in to thin an art, eaeording to the var’efv. on the ridgp. The. preparation of the seed hod to nfi-.o similar to that for root®. In dw district® it is found advantageous to grow potatoes op the flat: but ip wet district" ami ip tenw land the ridge system i® prcfpralde. The crop must be kept cleared of surface weeds bv continued fiand hoeincs am! borsp-hoeing®, and it is necessary to commence these operations at the earliest opportunity. When the tops attain 81n or lOin in height the rows must

be earthed up, for which purpose a handhoe, moulding plough, or multiple mould-ing-up machine maj" be used. Weeds must be kept out until the tubers are read;,- to harvest. When ready to dig and fit to be stored the skin of the potato should be quite firm and able to withstand hard rubbing between the thumb and fingers. The popular idea as to the average yield per acre is generally very excessive only in a few favoured districts, and with the most prolific varieties, does the yield average more than, say, six tons of table potatoes per acre.