Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1869 [PAGE 241]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

227 Mr. RICE inquired whether potatoes should be planted in hills or drilled. Mr. PERIAM—You will get one-quarter more crop in drills. I t is a question of time and labor. If you have time and labor enough plant in drills, otherwise in hills and in rows—both ways, so you can work with horse-power. I would prefer, in large fields, to plant in hills, three feet apart one way and two feet the other, just sufficient to get through. Mr. MINER—I would ask in regard to sod land. Can we succeed in sod land in growing large crops of potatoes? Mr. PERIAM—The finest crop of potatoes that I ever raised was by dropping the potatoes under prairie sod every other row. Still I do not think there is any economy in planting under sod if you have other land. It costs more to dig them from sod land. You must plow in the fall if you would raise a perfect crop of potatoes, and not fail in the spring to bring the ground into perfect condition. Mr. COLMAN—I would prefer to turn over the sod in the fall if I wished a crop of early potatoes. I recollect one season, I did not plow my ground until May or June, and planted my potatoes in July, and started out on a lecturing tour, returning on the 8th of August. On examining the potato patch, found no potatoes there. Was again absent for six weeks, and when I came back I never saw such a crop of potatoes! I could not dig them all. [Laughter.] I would always recommend planting potatoes on sod land. The sod decays and furnishes excellent fertilizing material, suited to the potato.

A VOICE—Did you trench-plow ?

Mr. COLMAN—No, sir; the season was rainy and just such as suited this crop. YOICE—What kind of potatoes ?

Mr. COLMAN—Neshannock.

Mr. GAXUSHA—I have raised excellent crops of potatoes on sod, but the labor of digging is considerable, if dug in the usual way. This labor may be saved by taking the plow and turning the sod back again. The potatoes do not go into the ground, but lie just under the sod. , Mr. ROBINSON—I have been in the habit of raising potatoes on sod, with the best results. I turn two furrows. The first furrow is turned just as shallow as possible, to get a firm sod, and the second furrow just as deep as possible.