211 



stances furnished by the soil, and found again in the ashes of plants, 

 are their true food, and these are the conditions of vegetable life." One 

 hundred parts of the ashes of the potato are found to contain : 



Sihcia, 5 



Alumina, , 6 



Potash, 50 



Lime, 1 



Magnesia, 5 



Chlorine, 2 



Carbonic Acid, 13 



Sulphuric Acid, 7 



Phosphoric Acid, 11 



100 



EARTHING THE POTATO. 



A great deal of difference of opinion exists about earthing up the 

 potato. A little attention to that subject will enable us to see, that if 

 the soil is deeply tilled, well pulverized, and highly manured, very little 

 earthing will be necessary. The tendency of the roots of the potato is 

 downward, and we ought to enable them to go down, by digging and 

 plowing deep. The tendency of the tuber is upward, and we ought 

 not to prevent that disposition, hy heaping over it an undue portion of 

 earth. The best potatoes are always produced at the surface, near the 

 genial influence of air and heat. Potatoes moulded too much, are never 

 of a good quaUty ; in this matter Nature seems to have set a bound- 

 mark for the farmer, by placing the collar of the stem at a nice dis- 

 tance between earth and air — beyond this collar no earthing should go; 

 and if the soil has been properly prepared, much earthing will always 

 do more harm than good ; at the same time, moderate mouldings will 

 always be beneficial, inasmuch as by this means hosts of weeds are 

 killed, and the crust, which sometimes forms after heavy rain, will be 

 broken up and removed. It is essentially necessary for the well-being 

 of the vegetable kingdom, that the atmosphere be permitted to pene- 

 trate the soil, and reach the roots of plants. 



INSECTS INJTJRIOUS TO THE POTATO. 



Although the science of Entomology, or the history of the nature 

 and habits of insects, was heretofore but little regarded by the farmer, 



