734 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



ty keeping the potato roots deep under a flat surface having an earth 

 mulch. 



But there are instances in which it is best to throw up loose earth 

 in the row. If ground is heavy and wet, potatoes will do no good 

 down in it. If there is reason for planting such land, it is best to 

 put the seed near the surface, and to ridge the ground. The tubers 

 are fed from the joints in the stem, and the extra soil banked up in- 

 creases the extent of that part of the plant that puts forth the under- 

 ground stems, while the looseness of the newly-made ridge lets the 

 potatoes develop. While insisting on the profitableness of having 

 the main body of the soil drained and loose, so that the plants can 

 have the best conditions, I do not urge dieep planting and level culti- 

 vation for ground of other character. It is better to plant shallow 

 and to ridge when the soil is heavy and wet. 



This conclusion, based upon personal experience, is substantiated 

 by Station experiments. The Cornell Station says that 'ievel cul- 

 ture is preferable to ridge or hill culture for conserving moisture. 

 Ridges should only be used when the object -is to relieve the soil of 

 moisture, as in low, damp fields." 



It may be added that ridging promotes earliness in a cold soil, and 

 may be often desirable to the market gardener. 



Level culture is at the best a relative term. We never leave 

 ground absolutely level when cultivation stops. Some soil is worked 

 into the row, and the tramping of horses depresses the middles. A 

 difference of two or even three inches between the level of the mid- 

 dles and that of the row is very common where the aim is to practice 

 level culture. It would be better entirelv level, but the cultivation 

 close to the plants and the one deep plowing in the middles even with 

 the narrowest shovels make slight ridging. The nearer level the 

 ground, the more benefit is derived from light rains. Level cultiva- 

 tion is the rational kind for land that is adapted to the crop, and the 

 nearer we get our soils in prime physical condition for the crop, the 

 less necessity there is of any root pruning, any surface planting or 

 any ridging to furnish a covering for the tubers. 



The Hand-Hoe. — It is our desire that this discussion of potato cul- 

 ture should fall into the handis of many persons who grow potatoes 

 on a small scale in town lots and in home truck patches. They may 

 not have the use of weeders, wheel-cultivators and other implements 

 of the potato farm. For their benefit the statement is made here 

 that while these implements do good work, and are essential to the 

 large grower, no one implement has even been made that is superior 

 to a hand-hoe when in the hands of a man who knows how to use 

 it. The work may be too slow for large fields in most potato sec- 

 tions, labor not being available for its use; but the man who is able 

 to give potato plants thorough hand-hoeing in the row may re«t as- 



