Potato Culture on Irrigated Farms of the West by E. H. Grubb presents the methods of an experienced Colorado potato grower. Issued on January 10, 1910, as United States Department of Agriculture Farmers’ Bulletin No. 386, it follows the crop from preparation of the ground to selection of planting stock for another season.
The letter of transmittal identifies Grubb with Carbondale, Colorado, and explains that the methods are largely based on his experience. This is a concise regional account, with special attention to the connection between soil condition, irrigation and uniform growth.
Building a suitable seed bed
Grubb begins with the mountain-valley setting and then turns to fertility. His discussion emphasizes organic matter, livestock and forage crops as parts of a farm system that can maintain productive soil.
Clover and alfalfa receive particular attention as crops preceding potatoes. Fall plowing and repeated spring working are described as ways to prepare an open, fine seed bed.
The value of these pages lies in the relationship between operations. Soil structure is considered together with its ability to hold water and support the young crop, rather than as a separate preliminary task that ends at planting.
Planting equipment and seed tubers
A section on planting machines considers both expense and performance. Grubb suggests that small growers can share costly implements and compares machines that puncture seed tubers with those that handle them without piercing the skin.
He describes the functions of an improved planter: opening the furrow, dropping seed, covering, firming and marking the next row. A photograph of digging near Carbondale supplies another view of the equipment used in the region.
The discussion of whole and cut seed relates the size and condition of planting material to a strong start. Grubb reports his own results with medium-sized whole tubers and explains the concerns that led him to prefer them.
Planting distances are treated as dependent on variety, soil, water and the season. The author’s own spacing is an example from his farm, rather than a universal formula for every growing district.
Cultivation and controlled water
The cultivation section follows the early work of a horse-drawn cultivator and smoothing harrow. It connects weed control with loosening the surface and avoiding unnecessary disturbance as the crop grows.
Irrigation receives a full section. Grubb discusses observing the plants and examining soil moisture before admitting water to the field. His method uses furrows between rows, fed from a ditch at the head of the field.
Alternate middles are opened for successive irrigations. The aim is an even supply of water without flooding the surface into a compact mass. Cultivation after watering is described as another part of maintaining suitable soil conditions.
The calendar dates in this account belong to the author’s regional system. Readers comparing methods should keep the Colorado setting and the publication’s historical date in view.
Storage and selling the harvest
Storage is considered in terms of temperature, ventilation, maturity and handling. Grubb includes an account of potatoes kept in a ventilated mountain tunnel, using it to illustrate the importance he attached to a steady storage environment.
Marketing then turns to sorting and the needs of buyers. The author connects uniform size and appearance with the usefulness of the crop in different markets.
For homestead and farming-history readers, this sequence is useful because it carries the discussion beyond digging. The condition of a harvested crop, its keeping quality and its saleable portion all affect the value of the year’s work.
Selecting the next crop
The seed-selection section argues for evaluating individual hills in the field. Photographs show the crop of a single hill, with attention to uniformity, size and shape.
Grubb compares selection of planting stock with the deliberate improvement of livestock. He challenges the practice of planting only culls and describes choosing hills whose tubers meet a desired standard.
Brief sections on varieties and possible yields conclude the bulletin. The unusually high yields discussed are reported examples and projections within a period argument for improvement, not a promise of ordinary garden results.
This free ebook is useful for studying early western irrigation farming and the development of potato-growing methods. The PDF has 14 digital pages, retaining the title page, transmittal letter, contents and three photographs. The practical text is compact, with small type best enlarged on a phone.
Book details
- Author: E. H. Grubb
- Publisher: United States Department of Agriculture; Government Printing Office, Washington
- Year: 1910
- Edition: Farmers’ Bulletin No. 386; issued January 10, 1910
- Digital length: 14 PDF pages
- Language: English
- File size: 0.44 MB
