GROWING POTATOES.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1917, Page 1

GROWING POTATOES.

*"— H A WEmiNGTON CIRCUIT. . (The pom inion). . Although nothing came of the movement. to plant potatoes at Miramax near AVellrngton 'a- good dea\ of information'' " was" “ gathered, which should ho ’ l 'of value to ■ *hosp disposed. to * grow potatoes t in their own or on eqmmunistfc plots of. ground. The obstacle in Wellington Appeared to be |jic lack of large • areas :\f land suitable to the culture of the potato, and the doubt as to uhothei if only grown in, small patches, it would really' ho an economical movement.’ The'Mayor of Welimgton how r ever is of opinion that, with the rising price of foocf stuffs, it would lie wise for those with the necessary land and time to plant, potatoes, and in order to assist those who may not be skilled in this of agriculture lio has issued tho roliowing ‘‘Brief Directions for 'growing' Potatoes in Small Allotments” :

“All available plots of land should he deeply dug burying all vegetation except Aloelcs, couch - and sorrel. •These should be carefully forked out and burnt, returning the ashes to the soil. In digging the land the surface should be left *as rough as possible,so as ’to expose as much as possible to the weather, care being taken that the surface' ? js not trodden 0,1 . ft should .remrtiti ’ thus until planting time'. “It is strongly recommended .. that late grown local seed he procured in‘all eases. The following varieties arc re commended: For the first, planting TTp\t,o-date followed by White Elephant'" Gamekeeper and Maori Chief. Seed should he procured as early as possible and spread out thinly in . shallow boxes; theso should' he kept outside in a sheltered position. At planting time these should have sturdy growths about a quarter of an • • iricli long; any, shorting more tham-jfour growths can be divided leaving atj least two on each section. I,

“For first crop from August Ist- to September . It is better to delay planting a few days than to ’work the latod in wet weather. The. land having been dug previously should just prior to planting be forked or dug over about -two-thirds the depth of the first digging care being taken not ' to bring to the surface any vundocayeu vegetable matter. “Drills should be opened four or fivo inches deep and artificial manure, CSpccial potato Mixture) sown in theso about an ordinary handful to the yard of drill; the sets should then be planed about 14 inches apart and.covered with the soil which was drawn out. Rows should he two feet three inches apart, an extra throe inches being allowed the . stronger growing varieties (Gamekeeper and. Maori Chief). Should any set 'throw up more than three growths pull out the extra ones. Hoeing should lie commenced as soon as tho growths appear through the ground, and 'continued at frequent intervals. ‘“Earthing up should Ix> dona when the growths are about one foot in height; As a precaution’ ’against, blight* the growth's .'should; be sprayed when about"' throo inches high, .and again when about six" inches. In a favourable season this is sufficient to protect them. If the season is humid it would ho wise to continue the spraying at intervals of ten days. Tho variety TTp-tp-Date is more subject t,o blight than the others recommended, in a favourable season the other vaVibfcies can bo grown in ’Wellington without any spraying.”