Show HOW TO IRRIGATE POTATOES POTATO S Proper Moisture Conditions Should B Bo Be Provided for by Fall Plowing Watering and Disking By C C. L. L FITCH Colorado Agriculture College Potatoes need the least water o of need 1 it any auy of our crops but they late in the season and this crop should be grown only where the late water-supply water Is assured Proper moisture conditions should be provided bY by fall tall Irrigating and plowing in loose soil or in heavier soils rolls by disking dishing as th the frost trost goes out In the spring that the ground may maybold hold bold the snow and lose los as little water as possible Soils s that cake should be bo plowed late in the spring after atter irrigation Thus a a. supply of or moisture mol mois ture will be secured beneath thE tha roots and watering the potatoes willbe will wll willbe be unnecessary until late and the plants well along The gradual feedIng feed feed- Ing ng up up of water from beneath Is la much nuch better so long as it lasts th than n irrigation which suddenly furnish furnish- ing ng a surplus of ot water is apt to cruse cuse over setting or resetting Hence the rule not to unil un un- ill tf il the potatoes have bave set or at any rate until the plants show signs sighs of ol In the case of early potatoes ri Stress tress 2 I I the he tubers are set earlY carzy ana aim W wr w i oU must mist be used early or the crop be made without it In very d d. d dy y years setting of late potatoes ma may hold lold off so long even een with moisture present that the stimulus of Irrigation Irrigations Is s required to start the tubers Except on gravelly or steep tends water should be applied first only In every other row to avoid over Then the alternate row Is to tobe toe toI be e Irrigated soon and after that I the every very row at intervals that keep keerr root oot soil solI moist that growth may be he steady teady and the tubers free tree as ma may maj maje maybe be e from second growth Irrigation should cease cease- long long- before harvest so the tubers ca can mature maure ma ma- ture ure in dry earth and be well eli cured To o have the ground wet during th th last ast growth produces tubers that arc art watery and that shrink badly To Ta have ave the ground very wet by tion Oon on or rain after growth ceases maker the lie dirt stick sUck to the potatoes |