112 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



deeper between the rows by running the plow along again. In the 

 spring remove all the teeth from a common cultivator like the 

 ^'Planet," exce[)t the mitUllc one. Attach a pair of horses or oxen, 

 and open the top of the ridges. Put in some phosphate and plant 

 the seed. If the ground is quite wet do not wait, because the team 

 need go over it but once, and the ridges will dry out quickly so that 

 the seed will not rot. 



Much has been written about allowing sprouts to get a start in the 

 spring before planting. The usual practice of putting a quantity of 

 potatoes in a bag or a barrel behind the stove, where white and 

 sicklj' si)routs grow out and wind among the interstices, has been 

 very justly condemned. It is better to grow healthy sprouts or none. 

 The true philosoph}' is to follow nature by placing the tuber at first 

 where there is darkness, warmth and moisture, and later, while the 

 tuber remains in the previous condition, give the growing shoot air 

 and sunlight. A ver}' good plan is as follows : 



Make some shallow boxes about 2 J feet long, 15 inches wide and 

 2 inches deep, open at the top. Put into each of these one layer of 

 potatoes, seed end up, closely packed. Sift over them some fine 

 earth. Moisten the earth occasionally ; set in a warm place one box 

 above another, with a couple of pieces of lathing between. After 

 the sprouts are well started and the weather is warmer, place the 

 boxes out of doors side by side in the sun during the da3'time. 

 When planting time comes take these boxes to the field and leave 

 them at intervals between the rows. Cut the potatoes and drop 

 them at the same time. The same rules are to be followed in cut- 

 ting potatoes for earl}' planting as in other cases, and I need not 

 repeat them. There are, however, some obvious points in favor of 

 good-sized pieces from which a part of the eyes have been removed, 

 particularly if we adopt the following plan for giving the plant an 

 extra earl}- start in spring. This method is in use b}^ many of our 

 market gardeners and potato specialists. After the appliances are 

 once provided and the necessar}' experience gained, the operation is 

 not so difficult nor slow as it appears to be. 



The potatoes are first cut and are immediatelv rolled in land-plaster. 

 The pieces are laid side b}' side a very short distance apart in a 

 hot-bed, where the heat is very moderate. The hot-bed should be 

 so placed as to receive the greatest possible amount of sun-light. 

 Earth is sifted over the bed until the potatoes are covered. The bed 

 should be sprinkled from time to time. More earth should be sifted 



