No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. SOi 



a iiarrow-tooth cultivator before their tiny roots have spread piuch 

 —for root pruning is dangerous — break up and pulverize the soil 

 between the rows, as well as in the rows, in a practically perfect 

 condition for the young plants to thrive, only an occasional shallow 

 stirring with a weeder or light single cultivator being required 

 thereafter to prevent some straggling weeds from growing and to 

 l:eep the earth mulch perfect, so a.s to check the evaporation of 

 soil moisture. This process of cultivation should be continued 

 until it will be utterly impossible to get through without grievously 

 breaking the vines, which is hardly worth considering until the 

 ground between the rows is nearly covered. Level culture may be 

 profitable on a gravelly or sandy loam, where the lower half of the 

 surface soil is not inclined to pack and solidify, but on a heavy soil, 

 such as limestone, slightly ridging is absolutely necessary to main- 

 tain its proper texture favorable for the formation and the develop- 

 ment of the growing tubers. 



If I should happen to fall back and resort to hand planting, I 

 would certainlv strive to follow the same svstem and have all con- 

 (Jiti'ous similar to what they are when using the planter. There 

 would be only one danger, which does not exist when using the 

 planter, of which I would have to be mindful; that is, that no cut 

 seed be left uncovered in the row and exposed to the hot rays of 

 the sun for any length of time, as such will impair its vitality if 

 not destroy it altogether. Early and late blight can be kept under 

 control fairly well by applying Bordeaux mixture liberally and fre- 

 quently. Yet, after having taken under consideration the value 

 of labor involved, wear and tear of the machine, and cost of ma- 

 terial, compared with the general increase in crop due to such treat- 

 ment, I have nearly always found it attended with very little profit, 

 and consequently abandoned its use altogether. Now, for a number 

 of years, I have always made it a point to push my potato crop to 

 its utmost capacitv, by practicing what I have already fully ex- 

 plained, in order to induce early maturity and get ahead of the 

 blight as far as possible, in which I have succeeded, I am happy to 

 say, to a considerable extent. My potato crop is generally so far 

 advanced by the time early blight puts in an appearance that its 

 raA^ages need not be very much dreaded any more thereafter. This 

 usually means a heavier crop with less expense. 



Some varieties of potatoes have the power of resisting blight 

 to a greater extent than others, and should have the preference, 

 providing their other qualities are desirable. If potato scab is 

 present on seed, that can be successfully treated by the use of a 

 solution of corrosive sublimate, but can likewise be almost wholly 

 avoided by using a variety that is not subject to the disease, of 

 which there are many. 



