No. 112.] 403 



is ^n important one. English gardening has been adopted 

 into this country with marlied injury. The humidity of the at- 

 mosphere there, and the almost constant rains rendered it neces- 

 sary, to git rid of the superabundant moisture, by hilling up plants 

 and raising and crowning garden beds. While here, during the 

 growing season, we are subject to drought, and require all the 

 moisture we can husband for the sustenance of the plant. ^ Hence 

 we require flat culture and flat or sunken garden beds, with a deep 

 and permeable soil that shall catch and oblige to pass through it 

 every summer shower. * 



" In the culture of potatoes, after the land is thoroughly plow^ed^ 

 and harrowed smooth, I plant with the spade, thus: Strain aline, 

 if convenient, north and south ; a man puts in his spade spit 

 deep, say seven inches; the first earth he scatters; he then steps 

 back, and at about twenty inches he puts in his spade to the same 

 depth. The soil thus raised covers the first planted, the third covers 

 the second, etc. A boy to drop the cut potatoes, two eyes to a 

 hole, will attend very well to three lines. Thus you will per- 

 ceive they are sure to be at equal depth, at equal width, about 

 three feet, and in perfect line. Tlie field planted, a light harrow 

 is passed over it, and again, in the course of eight or ten days, 

 disturbing the first grow'th of weeds and keeping the surface mel- 

 low. After the plants are up, run a cultivator through once in 

 ten days, until they are in blossom, when, after that, they should 

 not be disturbed. "With such culture I have had great success, 

 and the cost has not exceeded $6 per acre, exclusive of seed, and 

 yielding from 100 to 150 bushels of fine size, sound pink-eye pCK 

 tatoes, most of uliicli were marketed last year at eight to ten shil- 

 lings per bushel. 



*' The present season I planted two acres of the pink-eyed varie- 

 ties. The seed selected were from the undersized or medium, 

 excepting six rows, whicli were of the snuillest kind, usually 

 called pig potatoes. Being short of seed, I ordereil the cullings 

 not larger than a common marble or hickory nut, to be used to 

 finish out with. The result is, these six rows are equal in every 

 respect, and by the diggers thought to be better than any other 

 p/Drtion of the whole plot. 



