268 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



but not so much as we might suppose. Experience proves 

 that although all the eyes may start to grow, only the more 

 vigorous live. Society in a potato hill is much like a society 

 of men. The strong are sure to obtain the mastery over the 

 weak. 



The potato harvest is often accomplished in a bungling, 

 careless manner. The tub'ers are cut and bruised as though 

 they were not delicately organized things of life. We forget 

 that every time we bruise a potato we break more or less cells 

 and increase the tendency to decay. We have learned to 

 harvest apples carefully. We have need to learn the same les- 

 son in reference to potatoes. In harvesting we much prefer 

 the shovel to the hoe or potato digger. It requires a little 

 skill and a good deal of strength to run the shovel under a 

 liill and raise the potatoes and dirt together, at the same 

 time giving a little vibratory motion to the shovel so that the 

 dirt will crumble and leave the potatoes in open sight. This 

 can be done, and we have never seen potatoes harvested so 

 expeditiously and with so little damage. Not only are the 

 potatoes uninjured, but the land is greatly benefited, for it 

 looks like a garden spaded over and ready to be sown. 



When dug the potatoes should not be long exposed to the 

 sun. The digging should be performed on a dry day, and as 

 soon as the moisture on the surface has evaporated the tubers 

 should be picked up, carefully placed in the cart, and, if not 

 immediately hauled to the cellar, covered with a blanket or 

 potato vines. It is not a bad plan to place them in piles in 

 the field, cover them thoroughly with potato tops and a little 

 dirt, and make one job of hauling on some pleasant day. In 

 all cases do the sorting while harvesting, and by all means keep 

 the different varieties by themselves. The mixing of all 

 sorts of potatoes may be very democratic, but there is an aris- 

 tocracy among potatoes which Reserves recognition. 



When potatoes are first placed in the cellar, there is an un- 

 pleasant effluvia arising from them whether they have any 

 tendency to rot or not. This may be remedied by sprinkling 

 a little air slacked lime on tliem. The lime will also prevent 

 decay. 



