176h “IRISH POTATO ENTERPRISE
PRR
9. Cultivating, pp. 50, 182, 213; Farm Crops, 276, 277; Bulletins, 1064,
1190, 1205. Local inquiry.— (a) Ask growers how often they
harrow the field after potatoes are planted before they are too
large to harrow. (b) Get their opinions regarding this practice.
(c) What types of harrows are used? (d) How often are they
used? (e) What types of cultivators are used between the rows?
(f) Get farmers to compare ridging with level cultivation. (g) If
potatoes are irrigated, describe methods used.
10. Controlling insects and diseases, 183-185; Farm Crops, 279-284;
Bulletins, 940, 1349, 1367, 1462. Local inquiry.— (a) Describe
the hest local methods of fighting blight and potato beetles
together. (b) Ask farmers regarding the cost of controlling
potato enemies. (c) Compare costs of dusting and of spraying.
(d) Make a list of the potato insects and diseases found in your
region.
11. Harvesting and grading, pp. 184-187, 188; Farm Crops, 277; Bulle-
tins, 153, 1050. Local inquiry.— (a) Compare the different local
methods of digging potatoes with the areas being considered.
(b) Compare grading the potatoes in the field at picking time
with grading afterwards. (c¢) Ask commercial grower into how
many grades the potatoes are sorted. (d) See if varieties vary
in this.
12. Storing potatoes, pp. 187, 188; Farm Crops, 278, 279; Bulletin, 847.
Local inquiry— (a) Get growers to give their arguments in
favor of storing; also against storing. (b) Study local methods
of storing and compare them. (c) Find what percentages of loss
occur during storage. (d) Compare the cost of storage, the losses
with the gains due to storage.
13. Marketing the crop, p. 187; Bulletins, 753, 1050, 1091, 1144, 1316,
1317, 1332. Local inquiry— (a) How do potato sellers find their
best markets? (b) When are potatoes usually sold? (c¢) What
have been the best prices each year recently? (d) Give their
arguments pro and con regarding codperative marketing.
14. Summarizing cost records, pp. 18-19; Bulletins, 511,°572, 782,.1182.
Local inquiry— (a) Talk with farmers and calculate the cost
of the chief operations such as fertilizing, plowing soil, planting,
cultivating, harvesting and storing. (0) Compare cost of each
of these operations on different farms. (¢) Compare the total
cost of production with returns from crop.