No. 105.] 347 



dium depth ; and cover the potatoes with the manure well shaken up^ 

 and both with a light covering of soil. Pass over the whole with a 

 roller, and farm as described in a previous part of this paper. If the 

 ground or season is disposed to excess of moisture, finish the dress- 

 ing with the plow, but if the contrary state prevail, use the cultivator 

 only. 



Sixth. As soon as the potatoes are done growing, take them up 

 at once, preserve them from bruises and rain, and store them in a 

 cool and dry place. 



Manure. 



It may be useful to give in detail my method of composting hog 

 manure, that has proved successful in raising potatoes unaffected by 

 the rot. The proportions of the inorganic substances specified in the 

 the following directions, are not given as the amount that science 

 would point out, they are simply the amount that suits me best, on 

 the score of economy and convenience of application • and will suit 

 every farmer, in a greater or less degree. 



My hog-pens are deep and capacious. Along side of them I have 

 equally capacious depots for all sorts of vegetable absorbing substan- 

 ces, that can conveniently be procured. Most of these substances 

 contain a large per centage of potash, in combination with various 

 acids. These acids are neutralized by an admixture of fresh slacked 

 lime, in the proportion of four bushels to each cord of the vegetable 

 material, well mixed with the same at the time of hauling and filling 

 the depots. 



After seeding, when summer made manure is carted out, I com- 

 mence filling up the pens with the material of the depots, as fast as 

 the hogs can work it around, and during the fattening season in pro- 

 portion to the quantity of corn fed, that is, to every eight bushels of 

 corn fed, I compost one cord of the material described and two 

 pounds of potash, and one peck of salt. Care is taken that the 

 whole mass is made of equal richness, and the process is continued 

 until the time of planting potatoes arrives, when it is hauled out,, 

 spread in the furrows, and lightly covered with soil as elsewhere 

 described. 



I should remark that the potash is applied in the form of the resi- 

 duum of the soap kettles, ashes and spent ashes. The salt in the 



