The Midland Journal

PENNSYLVANIA POTATO GROWER MAKES FINE RECORD

Fifty-three farmers from 21 Pennsylvania counties have been awarded life membership in the "400 bushel potato", club of that State, as recognition of their achievement in growing 400 or more bushels of potatoes on a measured acre of land. The 53 men made a combined average acre yield of 444 bushels, the ten highest averaging just 56 bushels more, 500 bushels per acre.

Jacob S. Wile, Souderton, won the highest ranking, with a yield of 532.4 bushels on one acre. This acre was part of a 5.9 acre piece on which Mr. Wile grew 2,630 bushels of potatoes, an average of 445.8 bushels.

Michigan Russets were used as seed on this piece--a good clover sod, well manured the previous fall. About 1,200 pounds per acre of fertilizer was applied and the land was thoroughly plowed and disced. The crop was cultivated three times before and four times after it came up. It was sprayed nine times.

The total cost on the 5.9 acre piece, of seed, fertilizer, plowing, discing, planting, cultivating, spraying, digging, picking and hauling was $717.50 $121.60 per acre, or 27.2 cents per bushel. On the best acre, the cost was 22.8 cents a bushel, one of the lowest figures on record.

Production records supplied by 4 of the 58 winning farmers revealed the following facts as to their methods: All but two sprayed; all but two used manure, and all but four used fertilizer. Clover or alfalfa sod was used by 33. The average quantity of manure was 8.5 tons and of fertilizer, 825 pounds. Eleven used only acid phosphate; three used acid phosphate broadcast and complete fertilizer in the row. Thirteen men complete fertilizer broadcast and in the row. Seventeen men used fertilizers containing more than two per cent of ammonia.

According to Professor Nixon, "the winners in the 400-Bushel Potato Club grew the cheapest potatoes that were grown in Pennsylvania last year, and have demonstrated conclusively that the higher the yield per acre, the lower the cost per bushel will be."