Second Report on Potato Culture. 53 



eyes. On the experimental grounds, to be sure that the same amount 

 of covering was given to each plat, the covering was done by hand. 

 But in ordinary farm practice the work should be done by machinery. 

 The following plan is recommended : Open the rows deeply and wide 

 with a double moldboard plow or a shovel plow. If commercial fer- 

 tilizer is to be applied, distribute it in the bottom of the furrow and 

 thoroughly incorporate it with the soil. This thorough mixing with 

 the soil is of importance, for should the seed be put directly upon the 

 fertilizer it is possible the bud would be weakened, if not killed. 

 Drop the seed in the bottom of the furrow, one piece in a place 

 and pieces 12 to 15 inches apart in the row. Cover by means of 

 the double moldboard plow or the shovel plow, breaking open the 

 middle of the space between rows and covering the potatoes deeply. 

 This will leave the land in ridges with the furrows between the rows 

 of potatoes. In from five to six days after planting, with a smoothing 

 or spike tooth harrow, level the surface of the ground (see figure 122). 



This thorough stirring of the soil by means of plow and harrow does 

 much toward bringing it into good physical condition. One reason 

 why many farmers find it necessary to hill their potatoes is because the 

 ground has not been made thoroughly mellow, and the potatoes in 

 expanding naturally find their way toward the direction of least resist- 

 ance. This is toward the surface, and the hiUing ojDeration is resorted to 

 because of the failure to properly fit the land previous to planting. The 

 harrowing of the land before the potatoes are up does much toward 

 putting the surface soil in excellent condition. The spring rains which 

 usually follow potato planting pack the soil and form more or less of 

 a crust on the surface. The harrow breaks this crust, destroys any 

 weeds which may be appearing, draws the clods and stones which may 

 be directly over the row into the furrow between rows. Frequently 

 two or three harrowings may be given before the potatoes are up, and 

 where the planting has been done in drills so that the after tillage can 

 be given in only one direction, much labor may be saved if the weeds 

 are destroyed by means of the harrow. 



The after tillage should be frequent and with implements which will 

 leave the land as nearly level as possible. Best results have been 

 secured by stirring the soil with a fine toothed implement every ten to 

 twelve days and continuing the operation until the vines have so 

 grown as to render further culture harmful. It will be found that the 



