LECTURES AND ESSAYS. 451 



CULTIVATION. 



About one week before the potatoes come up, the field should be harrowed 

 with a light harrow to destroy the small weeds which begin to appear; the 

 better plan is to traverse the field lengthwise, keeping the horses between 

 the rows as much as possible to avoid treading upon the potatoes which are 

 coming through the ground. If possible, the work should be done in 

 pleasant weather, when a few hours of sunshine will destroy most of the young 

 weeds. In about a week the potatoes will appear in clean rows, when the 

 cultivators should be brought into play. In about ten days, pass through 

 with the cultivators again. The oftener soil can be stirred and loosened 

 to admit air and light, in that proportion will the crop be benefited. Where 

 flat culture is the practice (which should be, except in wet localities), the 

 last cultivating should be substantially as the first, excepting to set the cul- 

 tivators to hill the row slightly. My experience has been, that a moderate 

 quantity of earth is necessary to protect those potatoes nearest the sur- 

 face from being sunburnt, or becoming green. The successful farmer has 

 an antagonism to weeds, and would advise passing over the field with hoes to 

 cover the few weeds likely to gain the ascendency; such work usually pays 

 in the end. Clean cultivation should be the motto of every potato grower. 



POTATO BUGS. 



The only successful method thus far known for destroying them is by the 

 application of Paris green or London purple. Either should be thoroughly 

 mixed with water ; Paris green should be in the proportion of a teaspoon 

 heaping full to a pail of water ; double the quantity of London purple is 

 required. Although a larger quantity is needed the expense is about half that 

 of Paris green. Apply with a sprinkling pot having a nozzle with numerous 

 small holes. A stick will be needed to stir the poison occasionally, as it is 

 inclined to settle. Two sprinklings -are usually sufficient to keep the bugs in 

 subjection. 



In dry weather I would recommend mulching the crop; straw spread 

 between the rows thick enough to cover the ground will pay well. Do you 

 say, this involves too much outlay for a crop of potatoes? During an exces- 

 sive drought when I was a boy, my father instructed me to drive the stock 

 one mile twice a day for water ; this did not involve too much outlay to save 

 what we already had. The object is to prevent the loss of what has already 

 been expended, and I know mulching pays in keeping the weeds down and 

 preventing the intense heat of the sun from burning the potatoes. 



In closing the subject, I would advise machine work whenever possible, 

 and withal in digging, it costs more to dig a poor and weedy field by hand, 

 than where it is clean and the yield large. But machinery knows no differ- 

 ence as to bulk of potatoes, weeds or condition and kind of soil. A row of 

 potatoes is traversed by the digger under the variable circumstances in about 

 •the same length of time. 



