Hints for Country Settlers

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 139, 16 May 1891, Page 2

Hints for Country Settlers

It is astonishing how much ignorance prevails about the cultivation of the polatj. One would think that at this time of day every one attempting to make a livelihood on a farm would know pretty well all about it. Those who do know seem to consider it policy to keep their information to themselves, and I beg to give the following hints to those who do not know : First, then, with regard to the seed; the storekeeper will supply you in all good faith with ordinary store potatoes for daed \ he has purchased and sold them to you as, say, peach blossom, and as a matter of fact they are true to name and consequently must be good. Don't you believe it. Unless they have been carefully picked and properly stored, they are not suitable for seed at all. Potatoeswill grow from them, of course, but thechances are that your crop will not ba more than half of what it would have beenif the seed had been in proper order. It is not uncommon for the best English; growers to pay as much as 12s per lb for new varieties^ Let us suppose that your crop for the past season has now been lifted* Lay them in a dry place and allow them to remain for some time before they are finally stored for the winter, a little straw or litter of any kind thrown. ov«r them will exclude the light and air,, while allowing the moisture to escape. Im about a month they should be carefullylooked over, by which time any diseasewill have shown itself in the tubers,. this is the best tima~to select the seed forplanting the following spring. The seedii tubers should be stored in a well-venti-lated cellar or shed where they will be safe from frost. Have shelves arranged tfound the walls, three feet wide and about fifteen inches apart, one above ■ another , upon which the tubers should" be thinly spread. They should be placed in such aposition that they can be turned over from tune to time, and the air allowed to circulate amongst them, which will harden the eyes, and prevent them from starting nto growth too early. In early spring when the eyes have commenced to grow every care should be taken that the youni shoots are not injured, for the crop is never so early nor abundant from sets of which the first growth of the eyes has been destroyed, that is chiefly what does the mischief with the seed potatoes you purchase at the stores. I shall have something to say further on about the cultivation and storing of the general crop. g TO ®