Potato Growing in New York. 193 



plant deep enough to secure best results. What constitutes desir- 

 able depth depends upon circumstances, chiefly the character and 

 condition of the soil. The lighter the soil and the more mellow the 

 condition secured in its preparation, the deeper may the seed tubers 

 be planted in it. If the soil is heavy and likely to settle compactly 

 over the sets if a rain occurs, then the planting must be more shallow 

 lest the exclusion of air and the difficulty experienced by the 3^oung 

 plants in reaching the surface weaken their vitalit}'. In .our porous 

 soil no disadvantage seems to result from burying the seed pieces 

 deeply under ridges of earth, while the benefits of the deep and thor- 

 ough stirring of the soil at this latest opportunity and the advantage 

 of having these ridges to work down shortly before the plants come 

 up, thus securing a perfectly clean mellow surface, are very im- 

 portant. In porous soils, the seed pieces should be found four or 

 five inches below the surface after the leveling is completed. This 

 really is much deeper than it seems. Many farmers suppose they 

 are planting three or four inches deep, when in fact the sets are not 

 two inches below the surface. 



With the potato planting machines now on the market, it is 

 difficult to plant as deep as is desirable for best results. Neither 

 the furrow openers nor the covering apparatus are as large and 

 effective as they should be. Manufacturers state that if they con- 

 struct the machines so as to handle more earth in opening and 

 closing the furrows, the draft will be increased and farmers will 

 object. Of course the draft will be increased because more and better 

 work is being done, but the farmer should willingly supply the team 

 power to do it. 



It is also objected that deep planting makes harvesting more 

 difficult on account of the greater depth at which the tubers occur. 

 This is true and will be a valid objection to deep planting till diggers 

 are produced that will do thoroughly satisfactory work in potatoes 

 lying at the greater depth. 



Amount of Seed. The amount of seed required to plant an acre 

 will necessarily vary with the size of the seed pieces, the distance 

 between the rows and the distance between sets in the row. The 

 distance between rows is usually determined by convenience of cul- 

 tivation rather than by the largest possible yield. About three 

 feet is accepted by most growers as a suitable distance, as it is well 

 adapted to horse tillage. In some instances, four or six inches 

 additional have been found to enable the horse culture to be con- 

 tinued later in the season and the increased yield per row has made 

 13 



