WESTERN NEBRASKA
POTATOES
BOX BUTTE COUNTY HELPS KEEP NEBRASKA'S BREAD BASKET
FILLED BY GROWING FOUR TIMES AS MANY POTATOES, IN PRO
PORTION TO SIZE, AS ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE STATE
(Written by V. M. Seidell, County Agent, U. S. D. A.)
An article by F. M. Seidell, Hox Butte county agricultural agent, on the bet
terment of our potato crop. Seidell says to better tho crop the growers
should observe the following:
Use pure standard varieties for seed.
Select seed of variety type find free from disease.
Treat seed potatoes to control and eradicate disease.
Use proper cultural methods; practico rotation.
Grade for market.
Store in disinfected cellars with proper ventilation and temperature.
FOR TREATING SEED POTATOES THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUL
TURAL BOTANY RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING:
Ono pint of formalin in 30 gallons of water. Soak potatoes for full two
hours, or
Four ounces of corrosive sublimate in 30 gallons of water. Soak potatoes
for full one and one-half hours.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1.
F. M. Seidell, county agricultural i of other variety are removed from
agent, has Issued the following state-1 planter. In marketing pick out all
ment on the "Improvement or uox.otner varieties.
Butte rotatoes
Potatoes are Box Butte county's
leading cash crop. The value of her
potatoes In 1915 1b estimated at
1295,020. In other words, the val
ue of the potato crop was approxi
mately as much as the value of the
spring and winter wheat, rye, barley
and oat crops combined. Hence the
Importance of the potato crop and Us
Improvement.
There is a need to Improve our po
tatoes so that the growers can pro
duce them more economically and to
K2). Seed Selection. Select seed
to maintain variety, type, quality,
yield, and to control disease. Know
the desired shape of the variety you
are growing. Potatoes will produce
true to type of seed providing other
conditions are favorable. Do not
plant a potato off In quality such as
one with small outgrowths and deep
eyes (remember variety type) or a
misshaped potato. The constant use
of small potatoes will tend to reduce
the yield. A potato may be small
because of lack of moisture or an
were conducted In 1915 under auth
ority of the Box Butte Farmers' As
sociation and the Department of Ag
ricultural Botany by the county agent
on the farms of four co-operators
from which the following results
were secured. Whole two-ounce
seed used in all cases untreated In
order to measure effect of disease
upon yield. The average yield of
marketable potatoes from the seed
was: Dry rotted seed, 105.09 bu. per
acre; Scabby seed, 132.73 bu. per
acre; Clean seed, 205.12 bu. per acre.
Dry rotted seed reduced the yield
100.03 bushels of marketable pota
toes per acre and scabby seed reduc-
solution Is made and used according
to the above directions.
FORMIC ALDEHYDE Pour one
pint of formalin (formalin Is a 40 per
cent solution of formic aldehyde) in
to 30 gallons of water In a barrel or
1 tank. Place potatoes In a gunny sack
and keep for 2 hours in the above
solution. Spread the treated pota
toes out on a canvas or clean floor to
dry. When dry, the potatoes should
be cut and placed In sacks which have
been disinfected.
PRECAUTIONS. (1) Be certain
that your formalin Is full strength
and the solution made according to
the above directions. (2) Treat the
potatoes for the full 2 hours. (3)
This solution Is not poisonous, and
treated potatoes may be eaten or fed
to stock.
In no case sacrifice strength of sol
ution by making stronger or weaker
or by treating longer or shorter time.
Potatoes must be in solution about 6
hours before being damaged mater
ially. In treating with corrosive sub
limate, potatoes should be relatively
free from dirt. Keep solution stirred
up. Do not be alarmed because of
evaporation.
Either treatment Is effective
against disease scab, and all dry rot
or bacterial wilt reached by seed
treatment. Corrosive sublimate Is
recommended for treating potatoes
affected with Stem Rot or Rhizocton
la, which appears as black specks on
the exterior of the potato. This
disease cuts down production and
may reduce stand of potatoes.
In 1916 demonstrations were con
ducted by the county agent on the
farms of the above four "co-operators
to show the value of seed treatment
Very scabby two-ounce seed was used
in all cases. Part treated with cor
rosive sublimate and part treated
with formalin planted beside un
treated scabby seed of the same kind
and origin. Average: Untreated,
132.73; Formalin, 158.60; Corrosive
sublimate, 166.80. Increased yield
by formalin, 26.87 bushels, at 35c,
equals $9.05 per acre. Increased
yield by corrosive sublimate, 34.07
bushels ,at 35c, equals J11.9Z per
acre.
Stem Rot was prevalent In all po
tatoes used for seed which probably
V.
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I
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. f . !
Potato Infected with Rhizoctonia
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Potato Infected with Dry Rot
The Pearl Potato
standardize for market ho the pota
toes will be in demand. This will
enable the growers of this section to
compt'le with other sections. It will
bring to the grower greater returns
and to the consumer KrettU-r satis
faction. The Box Uutte Khiiihws' Assocla-
lnherltable character. The latter Is
true too many times to risk planting
small potatoes except in rare cases.
A Binall,8oed piece will produce a
email vine consequently a lower yield
under normal conditions. Plant noth
ing less than a one-ounce seed piece
and an ounce and one-half to two
tlon has adopted the following pro-, ounce seed pieces are most deslra
joct for the Improvement of Box ble. Nothing Is gained by clipping
Butte potatoes. This project does off seed end of potato. By hill sel
not consider need treatment, etc., ection Ohio Station increased the
alone, but all steps are absolutely yield of their potatoes about 75 bush
necessary in order to make the de- els per acre.
sired improvement. About the most important thing in
(1). Pure Standard Varieties. economical production Is the discard
ed the yield 72.39 bushels of market
able potatoes per acre.
(3) Seed Treatment. It Is abso
lutely necessary to treat seed to erad
icate potato diseases. Two internal
potato diseases have been mentioned
controMiible largely by seed selection.
Scab and Stem Rot or Rhizoctonia
are the common external diseases of
the potato.
The Department of Agricultural
Botany recommends the following
treatment for potato diseases:
"Fungicldea"
"CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE. Dis
solve 4 ounces of corrosive sublim-
nccounts for some difference in favor
of corrosive sublimate.
It will cost approximately 4 cents
per bushel to treat potatoes, allowing
for chemicals at present prices and
for labor providing no time is wasted
while potatoes are being treated. Any
plan (providing the directions are
followed) that will facilitate In treat
ing is worthy of consideration.
( 4 ) Proper Cultural Method
Hot at ion is essential in controlling
potato diseases, maintaining yield
and fertility. Potatoes should not be
one year
n tnesin
to fivoT
that a well-prepared deep seed bed)
gives on the average the best results.
They are thus able to produce pota- j
toes true to type and a good yield of
same.
Growers know the type of cultiva
tion generally best adapted to grow
ing potatoes in their sections. They
realize that if deep cultivation Is
practiced It should b done early. A
more level type of cultivation Is more
applicable here than in sections of
more rainfall.
In digging, If more dirt Is run ov
er the elevator and the digger run
deeper less potatoes are cut and dam
aged. A rut or damaged potato Is
usually first affected with storage
disease. A cut potato Is thrown away
at the big potato markets whether
diseased or not. Running digger
deep of course takes more horse
power and the only question Is
whether best to use more horse pow
er and have less damaged potatoes
or not. Best potato growers of the
section handle their potatoes care
fully and state that they are well
paid for same.
The experience of the majority of
potato growers In this section is that
potatoes when planted on land fol
lowing corn or a cultivated crop have
best assurance of a good yield of well
shaped smooth potatoes because they
have a good seed bed on land free
from trash and normally have more
moisture conserved.
To the average livestock farmer of
this section and considering adapta
bility to natural condition a crop sys
tem that will be fair to all crops and
to your potatoes on the basis of 100
acres of farm land exclusive of bay
crops Is:
Corn 20 acres
Potatoes 20 acres
Small Grain 20 acres
Corn 20 acres
Small Grain 20 acres
Repeating this order your potatoes
follow corn and are planted on the
same land only one year In five.
(5) Grading for Market After
all, besides supplying home use the
aim of the potato grower Is to finally
sell the potatoes. In order to make
the greatest returns with the potato
the same as with live Btock, there
must be a market demand and the
article to sell must conform to the
market demand. There is a demand
for a potato of reasonable size, good
In quality and relatively free from
disease. The grading for size has
been a thing badly neglected in this
section. The growers are not al
utsruuriu
USETODACCO
CHEW IT!
And Best Chewing Tobacca
Made is "Old Ken
lucky" Plug
FRUITY-SWEET asdMELLOY
To pet all the wholesome, sa4
isfyinff taste out of tobacco it
must touch your tongue. That
means you must chetv it. An4
the most natural form in whidk
chewing tobacco can be made is
the plug form.
There's a luscious, fruity flavor
in Old Kentucky plug tobacco
that sharpens up your appetite.
It's a flavor that not only pleas
you through and through, but
also comforts your whole system.
Old Kentucky is made of the
choicest Bttrley leaf, in the world's
greatest plug factory, and under
the most sanitary conditions.
The pure, fresh taste of a chew
of Old Kentucky will show yxm
how much real satisfaction theco
is in chewing.
Get a loc plug from your dcafe
today.
WOULD DIVIDE STATE
Iteaidents of Countle Having Irriga
tion Would Ijeave Nebraska
and Join, with Wyoming
Recently agitation has been start
ed In western Nebraska in the coua
tie..s of Scotts Bluff, Banner, Kim
ball, Morrill and Cheyenne, where
there is much irrigation, to have
these counties detached from Nebr
aska and made a part of Wyoming.
ways to blame for this condition, for ' The people of these counties have
many unscrupulous buyers have Iei1 inl ia nave no1 oeen Kitj
practiced buying ungraded potatoes, 'air and proper attention by the Ne
Every ungraded car of potatoes Bhip- braska legislature In the making of
ped out cannot help but cast reflec-tawa governing irrigation and feel
tion on the potatoes of this section, 'that they would get better treatment
According to the Department of." Wyoming, which has given nines.
Markets, the thing the potato grower , attention to Irrigation legislation,
must nRk himself nhnut th cradln Because of the fact that only a
of his potatoes Is. can he afford to pay ! comparatively small portion of Nebr-
hlmBelf for tradine his notatoea at saa irngaieu roumrj, ine -
home or is It cheaper for him to haul
off the culls with the good potatoes,
pay freight on these culls to the big
distributing points, then hire some
one to grade and throw away the
scabby, cut and odd shaped potatoes
and pay the dealers rightly a large
Insurance for handling this grade of
potatoes? All this Is paid indirectly
by the grower, by the lower price he (
receives for tne potatoes.
(6) Storage. The potato grower
who is an average distance from mar
ket on the average year makes very
little by storing his potatoes. Bad
roads, danger in long hauls, small
difference in price, shrinkage, freez
ing, and storage disease losses are
things to take into consideration.
However, it is Important that Bome
store potatoes so that the market is
not flooded at digging time. It Is
absolutely necessary that the pota
toes stored for home seed be stored
correctly In order to give strong seed
braska legislators have in the past
given their time to matters whiek
concerned the eastern portion of the
state and neglected the Important
things of interest to 'he irrigation
portion. If the Nebraska legislature
desires to prevent further serloas
dissatisfaction and stop the move
proposed in these counties, it shouM
give more attention during the com-
line session to Irrigation matters.
The following dispatch from Chey
enne tells of the movement:
Cheyenne, Wyo. There Is a weU
defined movement among citixena of
the southwest corner of Nebraska,
adjacent to the state of Wyoming, te
take steps leading toward the cut
ting off of a portion of the .state and
annexing it to Wyoming.
The territory embraced in the
move is made up of five counties,
Scotts Bluff, Banner, Kimball, Mor
rill and Cheyenne. They He within
or tributary to the North Platte val-
The potatoes stored for the southern ey. and are more or less beneficlar-
seed trade must be stored correctly lea of the federal governments big
(not allowed to heat) so as to main- North Platte irrigation project. They
tain their vitality claim that the state of Nebraska is
Potatoes should be stored In dis- "er unable or unwilling to provide
lnfoted rellara. The Ideal storage "ausiaciory irriKanon ana laws, anu
This will allow the
temperature is from 33 degrees to 4 5
degrees. It Is Impossible to main
tain low temperature where large
quantities of potatoes are stored
without proper ventilation. Potatoes
in storage should not be over four
feet from a ventilator. That Is. ven
tilators should be eight feet npart.
v
y -
Ijtrly Ohio l'ul.nt
Kureka or lrih t'obbU-r Potat
Rh1 li'Uiiiiph Potato
It Is important that only those stand- ing of all potatoes affected with dry I ate In 2 gallons of hot water. Add
urd adaptable varieties known to be rot or bacterial wilt. These are in
pure be used for seed. The expert- ternal diseases of the potato. A
ence of the growers shows that only very scabby potato, however, well
the early varieties are adaptable. , snapeci, ib not a good seea potato.
this solution to enough water to
make 30 gallons.
Place potatoes in a gunny sack and
keep for 1 H hours in the above sola
There is a market demand for the t'pon examination of the stem end of tion. Spread the treated potatoes
early varieties or mis section, -jue: potato u a Drown aiscoiorea area ap
Early Ohio is the aiuiulard table var-j pears that reaches through the pota-
iety in demand, tills or lieu Irl-ito about one-cignth lnrn under skin
umtiha are in demand for southern
seed trade. White Eurekas or Cob
blers, demand varies, are eaily and
good yielders. Three varieties are
enough for any section.
Po not allow seed to mix in stor
age. In planting one variety after
planting another be aure all potatoes
it is safe to assume that this la the
bacterial wilt or black-leg disease. A
wet rot may develop and destroy the
tuber as result of this infection.
Both dry rot organisms and black
leg produce characteristic wilting in
the held. To show the advantage of
using clean seed, demonstrations
out on a canvas or clean floor to dry.
When dry. the potatoes should be
cut and placed In sacks which have
been disinfected.
PKECOUTIONS: (1) To dissolve
the corrosive sublimate in hot water
use a stone Jar or some old pan, as
this solution will corrode metal. (2)
THIS SOLUTION IS VERY POISON-
greater part of the potato disease to
have disappeared.
Land free from trash is essential
in the production of smooth potatoes
Remember there are two kinds of
scab: one disease, and the other a re
suit of insect injuries, nlsect trou
ble Is largely controllable by proper
rotation. A field that bas been Idle
or uncultivated for a short time is
more apt to have gruba and other en
emles to smooth potatoes. Manure
if applied to land should be applied
Just after digging potatoes. If ap
plied in large quantities, disease scab
OITS. AND TREATED POTATOES i may live In the soil longer than five
MPST NEVER BE EATEN NOR FED years as a result
are anxious to get into position to
take advantage of those in Wyom
ing. Water legislation is necessary to
protect their rights, and repeated ef
forts have been of no avail,
i The territory In question is about
137 miles by 105 miles, and embrae-
Natural construction of storage eel- " ' square iimea, u an are
lar may facilitate in ventilation. Low about one-seventh that of Wyoming.
temperature maintains vitality, pre-, . ,
ven's early Rproutlng lowers shrink-! rair warning to a ranauc.
age and lessens losses from disease. I Will the fanatical person who pock-
Allow as small amount of dirt as eted that bottle f $2 whisky retura
possible to be stored with the pota-
tO".
The above outline gives a practic
al plan for Improving Box Butte po
tatoes and if followed as it is by
some growers tne potato industry
will mean more than ever to Box
Butte county.
it at once to the editor of the Northern
News with apologies for attempting to
perpetrate a Joke? Otherwise there
will he criminal proceedings. From
the Athabasca Northern News.
WHY YOU ARE NERVOUS
The nervous system U the alarm system
of the human body.
Ill perfect bealtb we hardly realize that
we have a network of nerves, but when
health is ebbing, when strength is declin
ing, the same nervous system gives the
alarm in headache, tireduess, dreamful
sleep, irritability and unless corrected,
leads straight to a breakdown.
To correct nervousness, Scott's Bmul
.ion is exactly what you should take; its
rich nutriment gets into the blood and
rich blood feeds the tiny nerve-cells while
the whole system responds to Us refresh
ing tonic force. It is free from alcohol.
Seolt St Bowvc. BtoomAttd. N.J. 9
SAGE AND SULPHUR
DARKENS GRAY HI
It's
Grandmother's Recipe
Restore Color, Gloss
and Attractiveness.
r-'ava Prejudice Against Stoves.
Native cools in Ecuador arc prcj
Odlied agniiihi stoves, saying the o:.
eelbive heat prod noes fever.
Well Children Are Active
If your child is dull, pale .fretful
and wants to He around, the chances
are it is suffering from worms. Klck
apoo Worm Killer, a pleasant candy
confection, liked by all children, Is
what your child needs. You only
give one-half to one lozenge at a
time and you get Immediate results.
Every mother should have a box on
land. 25c at all druggists.
Adv No 1
Almost everyone knows that Sage Tea
..nd Sulphur, properly com pounded,
Lriugs back the natural color and luatr
to the hair when faded, streaked or
gray. Years ago the only wsv to gi't this
mixture was to make it at home, which
is miissy and troublesome.. Nowadays, by
nuking at any drug store for "Wyeth's
Sage anil Sulphur Compound." you will
get a Urge Ixittle of this famous old
recipe, improved by the addition of other
ingredients, for about 50 cents.
Don't stay gray! Try it! No oim
ran Ktibly tell that you durVened your
hair, as it doc it mi naturally and
evenly. You dampen a sponge or soft
brush with it and draw thU through
your hair, taking one small strand at a
time; by morning the gray hair dis
appears, and after another application
or two, your hair become lautifully
dark, glossy and attractive.
Wyeth'a Save ami Sulphur Compound
i a delightful toilet, reuuitite for thoaa
who desire dark hair ami a youthful ap
pearance. It is not iiitend'-d for the cure,
mitigation or urwcntiuu of disease.