Potato Growing in New York. 181 



that had been tilled the previous season. As results to be stated 

 further on will show, during the earlier years of these experiments, 

 the soil still carried a fair amoimt of organic matter derived from 

 previous growth of sod or dressings of manure. This resulted in 

 almost ideal conditions for the crop. The absence of undecomposed 

 sods made possible the thorough, deep preparation of the soil and the 

 deep planting which we have found so favorable to good results. An 

 inverted clover sod is recognized by practical potato growers as an 

 excellent place for potatoes. If the sod is newly turned, however, 

 it interferes with the through preparation and deep planting which 

 is desirable. The ideal preparation is to turn the sod early the pre- 

 vious autumn, plowing as deep as the character of the land will 

 permit, and sow rye or rye and vetch for a cover-crop. In the spring 

 before the cover-crop has made large growth or become woody, the 

 land is plowed again, but not quite so deep as before. The sod should 

 be so decayed by. this time as not to interfere with the working, but to 

 mix thoroughly with the soil. If the spring plowing is done several 

 weeks before planting and while the cover-crop is young and succu- 

 lent, the cover-crop will decay quickly and not hinder tillage opera- 

 tions. If the cover-crop is allowed to make large growth and become 

 woody, it not only will interfere with the planting operations but will 

 endanger the crop should dry weather prevail, by checking rise of 

 moisture from below. 



A timothy sod is not so desirable for potatoes, but if it is to be 

 used it should be plowed the previous August and sowed to a cover- 

 crop. This gives it time to rot so it can be incorporated with the 

 soil. The cover may be mammoth clover, or crimson clover (if it 

 succeeds in the locality), rape, or buckwheat and rye. The rape 

 will grow till severe freezing occurs, when it will die and in the spring 

 will mix readily with the soil. About five pounds of seed per acre 

 may be sown and lightly brushed in. The buckwheat and rye may 

 be sown three pecks of the former mixed with five pecks of the latter. 

 The buckwheat will overgrow the rye and hold it in check till frost 

 occurs, when it will be killed and the rye will have opportunity to 

 grow during late autumn and early spring till it is plowed under. 



Land that has grown a crop of com, beans or cabbage is an excel- 

 lent place for potatoes, provided there is an adequate supply of 

 available plant-food. If the previous treatment, so far as rotation 

 and manuring is concerned, has been such that there is a fair stock 

 of organic matter left in the soil after growing the preceding crop, 

 then thorough tillage will probably make available adequate sup- 

 plies for the potato crop. This applies to soils of medium or heavy 

 grade rather than to sandy soils. 



