No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 389 



has nevc'i- been plowed deep it should be plowed a little deeper ea<li 

 time until the desired depth is reached. If it is deepened too much 

 at one time, the chances for a good crop are lessened, as too mucb^ 

 subsoil would be brought to the surface at one time. The best depth 

 to plow depends upon the depth and condition of the soil. Some 

 soils can be plowed ten or more inches, while it is not best to plow 

 others more than six. 



It is usually best to use a drag to pulverize the clods, as a roller 

 has a tendency to pack the ground too much, especially in a wet 

 season, and a loose, mellow soil is desired, for best results. A cut-a- 

 way or spring-tooth harrow should be used to loosen up the soil. 

 Three horses should be used on a spring-tooth harrow, as it can be 

 set deeper and more effective work done, without injury to the 

 horses, than where only two are used. The ground should be har- 

 rowed at least once a week from the time that it is plowed until it 

 is planted, in order to pulverize the clods and prevent the escape 

 of moisture. It should be stirred as soon as dry enough, after 

 every rain, not allowing a crust to form. The harrow and roller or 

 drag should be kept going until the ground is thoroughly pulverized 

 and a good seed bed prepared. If the ground is prepared and culti- 

 vated properly the crop will not suffer so much during a protracted 

 dry spell, as it will if the work is carelessly done. The ground is 

 not fully prepared for a crop of potatoes until all surface stones, 

 that will in any way interfere with the planting, cultivating or 

 digging of the crop, have been removed. 



A good two-horse planter can be operated by one man. It will 

 open the furrow, drop the seed and cover it the desired depth. II' 

 desired, commercial fertilizer can be applied with the planter. With 

 the Aspinwall planter, which we use, the seed is dropped in the bot- 

 tom of the furrow and covered with a small amount of dirt before 

 the fertilizer is distributed, thus preventing the fertilizer coming 

 in direct contact with the seed. The seed should be planted deep 

 enough to prevent the harrow from raking it out, as the ground 

 should be harrowed with a smoothing harrow several times before 

 the potatoes come up. After they appear above the surface they 

 should be harrowed occasionally until they are large enough to work 

 with a two-horse cultivator. The cultivator should be run close 

 and deep at the first cultivation. Follow the cultivator each time 

 with the weeder until the tops are six or eight inches high. The 

 weeder will level off the surface and rake the loose dirt around the 

 stalks and prevent the weeds from starting to grow. If the weeds 

 can be kept from starting to grow, until the tops are six or eight 

 inches high, it is not difficult to keep them under subjection. Some 

 weedors might be too severe on the tops, when they are eight or 

 ten inches high, but we use a Z. Breed weeder with curved teeth, and 

 if the tops are pulled over they will soon straighten up. 



