2/6 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



ever amount it is, I shall put half of it in the row at the time 

 of planting, using as high grade fertilizer as I can procure. 



As soon as possible after planting, I will begin to cultivate 

 to keep down all the weeds that they may not choke out the 

 potato plants. To conserve the moisture in the soil, and to 

 provide a good bed of light soil around the plants, I shall cul- 

 tivate them at least twice, and shall run them up once with a 

 horse-hoe, going over them once with a weeder before they 

 begin to break ground. Just as they do begin to break ground, 

 I shall put on the rest of my fertilizer with the potato planter, 

 and cover both the fertilizer and the plants with the horse-hoe. 

 From then on I will cultivate them at least once a week, and 

 after an interval of a few days, I will hoe them, following 

 this up until the potatoes are so large that it will be impossible 

 to go through them. 



After I hoe them for the last time, I am going to set my cul- 

 tivator as narrow as I can get it, and run through the plants 

 very lightly to leave a dust mulch in the center of the row aS; 

 well as on the sides. When potatoes are hoed for the last time, 

 the horse-hoe generally takes all the loose dirt and leaves a hard 

 place between the rows, and you will notice that the ground will 

 crack open, leaving holes that serve as chimneys to allow the 

 moisture to escape. I think that by running the cultivator 

 through lightly as I have stated it will prevent this cracking 

 open of the ground and conserve the moisture. 



When the plants are six or eight inches high I shall begin 

 to spray with Bordeaux mixture, to prevent early and late blight, 

 and if there are any bugs, I shall add arsenate of lead or Paris 

 green, and repeat every week or ten days, depending somewhat 

 on the weather during the growing season. I will go through 

 the potatoes with a hand hoe, if necessary, and cut out all the 

 weeds as fast as they appear, not allowing any weeds to grow on 

 this plot. 



I dug my potatoes this year when they were a little too green 

 and the skin started on them some, but next year I am going 

 to leave them in the ground until they are thoroughly ripe. 

 Also I will keep a note book, noting the condition of the crop 

 during the growing season, will keep a strict account of all the 

 material used and the time spent on my potatoes, and will care- 

 fully fill out all the blanks which are sent me. 



