No. 6. DEPARTMENT OB' AGRICULTURE. Ul 



tilizer can be fed out in the desired quantity. All tlie hoes should 

 be let down so that the ground may be cultivated, though only two 

 or four are distributing fertilizer. On account of the deep furrows, 

 the hoes do not disturb the setts, and the cultivation partially fiPs 

 the furrows, killing weeds and adding needed covering to the po- 

 tatoes. 



But the grower of a few acres only may prefer to distribute the 

 fertilizer by hand in the furrows, and the best work is done in this 

 way. When it has been so scattered, a weeder or harrow should be 

 used to make a partial filling of the furrows. In a few days the 

 plants again appear, and another cultivation will complete the filling, 

 giving clean, fiesh soil in the row. Where the soil its loose, the 

 weeder does this work well; in stiffer soils the harrow or spring- 

 tooth wheel cultivator is more satisfactory. 



In defence of the practice of applying commercial fertilizers in 

 the row, it is a pleasure to be able to quote so good an authority 

 as Professor E. B. Voorhees. In his book on "Fertilizers," page 

 217, he says: "In reference to the method of application, while very 

 good results are secured from the application of fertilizers directly 

 in the row, this is to some extent influenced by the character of the 

 soil. Where the soil is somewhat heavy and the circulation of water 

 is not perfectly free, it is less desirable than where the soils are 

 open and porous and free circulation is not impeded; though where 

 the amounts supplied are considerable, it is recommended that at 

 least one-half of the fertilizer should be applied broadcast and 

 worked into the soil, and the remainder placed in the row at the 

 Time of planting. Naturally, when the soils are poor, a concentra- 

 tion of the constituents is more desirable than when the surrounding 

 soil possesses reasonably abundant supplies of available food." 



CULTIVATION. 



One object of cultivation is to kill weeds. In potato-growing it is 

 essential that the ground be kept clean by destroying the weeds be- 

 fore they make much root. With the old method of planting shal- 

 low and ridging the covering, we got clean soil by dragging the ridge 

 down immediately before the plants reached the surface. It was 

 a good way of starting the potatoes ahead of the weeds. But we 

 get the same results from leaving a furrow open ovei* the plants and 

 filling in as the plants grow. When they are above the level of the 

 surface, the furrows have been filled with loose soil, and all weeds 

 have been destroyed. It is always possible that rains may interfere 

 with the work, and some weeds may be among the potato stalks in 

 the unfilled furrows, but it is safe to use a wheel-cultivator, throwing 

 plenty of soil against each side of the plants, and if some ridging is 



