Rural School Leaflet 913 



If the seed is planted by hand several distinct operations are necessary. 

 First, plow a furrow about 4^ inches deep, scatter some fertilizer in the 

 bottom of the furrow near the hills, cover this with a little soil, and drop 

 the seed piece on top. Next, fill the soil into the trench over the seed 

 piece; and firm it by pressure with the foot. The top of the hills or rows 

 may be left slightly ridged. 



Cultivation. — Good cultivation gives air to the soil in the best way and 

 prevents the evaporation of water which comes from beneath, and it also 

 kills the weeds that do so much harm to plants. Weeds injure the crop 

 in many ways : by removing water and plant food that the potatoes need ; 

 by shading the ground; and, probably most serious of all, by excreting 

 from their roots a poison that is injurious to the potato plants in a posi- 

 tive way. 



In a few days after planting, when the sprouts have started but before 

 they have come through the top of the ground, the farmer should go 

 over the field with a weeder crosswise of the rows. This is a very 

 essential operation, as it kills the littl3 weeds when they are less difficult 

 to kill and it levels the field in preparation for future operations. 



Cultivation should be continued at regular intervals to kill the weeds 

 and preserve the soil mulch until the potatoes are in blossom. After 

 that it will do m.ore harm than good, because it tends to break off the small 

 feeding roots of the potato plant which are near the surface of the 

 ground at this time of the year. 



Hilling. — The first cultivation should be very shallow and merely 

 scratch the top of the ground, but the last cultivation should throw the 

 dirt up around the plants so as to prevent the young tubers from being 

 scorched by the sun. Hilling also serves to remove many weeds and to 

 cover up others. 



Digging. — After the crop is thoroughly ripe and before there is danger 

 of freezing, the tubers should be dug, allowed to dry by lying on top of 

 the ground for part of a day, and stored in the cellar. At least a part 

 of every field should be dug by hand for the purpose of finding the high- 

 yielding hills from which seed will be chosen for next year's planting. 

 In large fields the elevator diggers operated by horses are found to save 

 time and expense. The machine is drawn along the row and the sharp 

 plow in front lifts tubers and soil, the latter drops through the bars in 

 the movable carrier, while the tubers are carried over and thrown in a row 

 back of the machine. 



Storage. — Potatoes should be stored in a cool place, away from the 

 light and where they will not freeze. The temperature should be low 

 enough so that they will remain dormant, that is, will not sprout. All 

 potatoes that are to be used for seed should be especially well kept. 



