After gaining independence from France in 1960, the Central African Republic was ruled by a series of autocratic leaders; by the 1990s, calls for democracy led to the first multi-party democratic elections in 1993. Ange-FÃ©lix PatassÃ© became president, but was later removed by General FranÃ§ois BozizÃ© in the 2003 coup.
To check for crop maturity, dig up one or two plants, if the skins on the tubers are thin and rub off easily, the crop is not fully mature. The skins on mature potatoes remain firmly attached to the tubers. Roll-over image to enlarge. Rubbing the thumb across this potato shows the potato skin firm and stays in place. Roll-over image to enlarge. Rubbing the thumb across this potato shows the skin rubbing off and is not yet ready for harvesting to store. However now you have ripped it from its home you might as well eat it tonight.
Some Thoughts on Common Potato Scab. I have often said to growers and potato breeders that I believed common scab was a serious problem in potatoes, because like it or not, potatoes are in a beauty contest at the local supermarket. Yes, we know you can peel off the skin with the scab on it and you are fine and your mash potatoes look beautiful.