A M E R I C A N P O T A T O J O U R N A L 69

Developing Peat Beds and Getting 400 Bushel Yields of Potatoes

SAM KENNEDY, Jr., Clear Lake, Iowa.

Five years ago Iowa's peat lands were practically untouched so far as vegetable production was concerned. In 1929, some- thing over 1,000 acres of vegetables, mostly potatoes, were produced on peat soils. The next few years will unquestion- ably see this acreage multiplied many times. Why? Because peat soils are especially well adapted to the growing of our staple vegetable crops, onions, potatoes and cabbage.

Yields are much higher and in many cases quality, size and appearance are much better than the same crops grown on loam soils in the same locality. Iowa has approximately 80,000 acres of peat and muck soils and with perhaps not over 2 per cent of this area devoted to vegetable production it can readily be seen that there is plenty of room for expansion. Let us consider briefly the location, origin and general character- istics of our Iowa peat beds.

Roughly speaking Iowa's peat land area lies in the shape of a triangle with Des Moines at the lower point and about 100

Inoculated Sulphur Is an Absolute Remedy for Potato Scab

If you plant potatoes in soil that is infested with scab, you can be certain of a clean crop if you apply Inoculated Sulphur before planting. This fact has been proved by repeated tests by experiment stations. Inoculated Sul- phur is a discovery of Dr. J. G. Lipman, of the N. J. State Experiment Station, and we are sole licensees under his patent.

Inoculated Sulphur increases yield and controls Pox and Scuff of sweet potatoes.

CIRCULARS ON REQUEST

Mechling Bros. Chemical Co. Camden, N. J.

Philadelphia, Pa. Boston, Mass.

70 A M E R I C A N P O T A T O J O U R N A L

miles of the Iowa-Minnesota s ta te l ine fo rming the base. Out- side of this well defined area peat lands do not occur to any extent. Wha t is peat or peat soil and how was it formed ? Feat is s imply decayed or pa r t ly decayed vegetable mat ter , of ten several feet in depth, t ha t has formed in the bot toms of old ponds or small lakes.

There is a lways present a small quan t i ty of sand or mineral soil t ha t has washed in or been blown in while the peat was forming. These peat beds being the bottoms of ponds are gen- era l ly i r regu la r in shape and vary f rom a few acres to a few hundred acres in size. The surface of the beds are very level. In developing a peat bed, for vegetable production, the first th ing to consider is drainage. Wi thout adequate drainage a peat bed is a l iabil i ty as losses are bound to occur a t t imes of heavy ra infa l l . Much of the low land of nor thern Iowa has been provided a drainage out le t by county drainage projects which have been completed for some time. Large main tile lines have been laid out in a sys temat ic manner so all t ha t re- mains to complete the dra inage sys tem is to put in the laterals . Experience has shown tha t l a te ra l s placed 150 to 165 feet apa r t in peat will t ake care of the surplus wa te r in good shape. Four feet is about the average depth of the lateral tile.

We like to see a peat bed 3 or 4 feet in depth, lying over a t igh t subsoil. This depth of peat gives a large water holding capaci ty and the t ight subsoil keeps the soil wa te r up high enough so t ha t it can be easily reached by the roots of the growing crops.

The surface of a new peat bed is of ten very uneven and covered with hummocks and small hollows. However peat is of such a loose porous na tu re t h a t a good seed bed of pota- toes can genera l ly be secured by deep plowing and p len ty of discing and harrowing.

We have a lways made a practice of roll ing our seed beds with a heavy concrete roller. This method makes a smoother, firmer surface to work on and compacts the surface so t h a t it does not dry out so rap id ly on top. Good seed is absolutely essential to high yields and best quali ty. A difference of 200 bushels per acre, between using nor thern certified seed and seed tha t has been grown locally fo r a few years, m a y easily occur. Stock f rom the nor thern grown seed is genera l ly much better qual i ty in every way.

Peat soils being very deficient in phosphorus and potash, liberal amounts of these elements mus t be supplied for best results. 600 to 800 pounds of 0-9-27 or 0-8-32 for potatoes and 1,000 pounds of 0-20-20 for onions i.s a common appl icat ion and gives good results. Pea t is very slow to warm up in the spring, therefore, it is probably j u s t as well not to rush the crops in too ear ly in the season. A compara t ive ly heavy seeding, say 25

A M E R I C A N P O T A T O J O U R N A L 71

bushels of cut seed pota toes and 4 or 5 pounds of onion seed is advisable. With l ighter seedings size is ap t to be so large as to be object ionable and qual i ty not so good. Also a heavy un i form s tand is necessary fo r max imum yields.

Of course all the details of p roper p lant ing and careful and thorough spray ing and cul t ivat ion should be carr ied out. This having been done and having been favored with a reasonably good growing season yields of 400 bushels of po ta toes and 800 bushels of onions per acre are nothing out of the ordinary.

Under ex t ra favorable condit ions much larger yields can be secured.

Principles of Producing 500 Bushels of Potatoes Per Acre

E." L. NIXON, State College, Pa.

There are fou r fundamen ta l principles involved in profi table po ta to product ion.

1. The first is good seed. There is a whole speech involved on this topic alone. Suffice it to say tha t the best certified is none too good.

2. The second pr inciple is fol iage p ro tec t ion - - sp ray ing . Herein is contained another speech. There are three fac tors involved in profi table po ta to spraying, viz.: (a) time of apply- / n g - - ( f r e q u e n t l y enough to keep the new g rowth covered and to p ro tec t against hea t in d ry seasons and bl ight in wet sea- sons). (b) manner of applying--(high pressure over 300 lbs., p roper nozzle ad jus tmen t . One mus i know w h a t is aimed a t ) . (c) material to applg- - ( the best and the cheapes t is home- made Bordeaux mix ture ) .

3. The third principle is Humus. Herein is something basic for soil fer t i l i ty . Lots of humus in the soil conserves mois ture in dry years and dis t r ibutes mois ture in wet years . I t makes heavy soil a po ta to soil. The best humus s u p p l y comes f rom legumes because they grow more of it. Soy beans, sweet clover, a l fa l fa , are at the top of the list.

4. The four th principle is a p rope r po ta to men ta l i ty - -v i s ion ---the opposi te of t rad i t ion--sc ience , the opposi te of ignorance and supers t i t ion- -ab i l i ty to pick out the essential , f rom the non- essential, the impor tan t f r om the un impor tan t . I t const i tutes intel l igent farming.

Pennsylvania ' s 400 Bushel Po ta to Club was fo rmu la t ed on these principles. That i t has been successful is evidenced by the fac t t ha t 868 have made the Club and ano ther 800 have