i879-] THE AMATEUR'S GARDEN. 499 



and the produce is generally of an inferior description. Wherever pos- 

 sible, the soil ought to be dug up roughly in autumn or early in winter 

 to allow of its being thoroughly pulverised by the action of the frost ; 

 and a good supply of well-decayed manure added at the same time, 

 unless the soil happens to be very rich, and in that case, a dressing of 

 wood-ashes and soot spread over the surface when the ground is frozen 

 hard in winter, will be much better than ordinary manure. Worms 

 generally abound in rich garden soil, and these cause Potatoes to be 

 scabbed, especially in dry seasons, as they scarify the skin to get at 

 the moisture ; but wood-ashes and soot do much to cause worms to 

 take themselves off, and so the crop comes cleaner, and of better 

 quality, as scabbed Potatoes are generally watery. The addition of 

 rich manure to such soil only aggravates the mischief, and does not add 

 so much to the weight of tubers as to the weight of shaws, which, 

 again, encourages damp and fosters the blight in such dripping 

 seasons as the one we have just passed through. Salt and soot, 

 applied in the ame way as recommended for ashes, have proved to 

 be very beneficia in inland positions, more especially in light porous 

 soils from which the saline matter is easily washed by heavy rains. 

 The ash of Potatoes contains 2| per cent of common salt, and most 

 vegetables as much or more ; and stable-yard manure seldom contains 

 more than 1 per cent, and the rains, as we have said, wash it away 

 easily, so it will at once be seen that salt must be beneficial as a 

 manure in all districts where the rain is free from it. Perhaps the 

 most economical way of applying it is to sprinkle it in the drills at 

 planting-time, and when this is done, fine, large, clean tubers will 

 generally result. Heavy clay will be much improved for this crop if 

 part of it be burnt, along with any inflammable material to hand, and 

 spread over the ground : leaf-mould is also a good dressing for such 

 soils. 



Planting ought to be done with the fork, and the soil broken fine 

 during the process. Early sorts should have a sunny dry spot, prefer- 

 ably a south border ; and ample room ought to be afforded them, which 

 is what very few people give. Kidney varieties, and others with dwarf 

 shaws, should not be planted closer than 2 feet between the rows, 

 and 1 foot between the plants ; and on good soil even more should be 

 allowed. Planted closer the result is that there is always a large per- 

 centage of small Potatoes of very little use, whereas with room to grow 

 there should be no small Potatoes to speak of if the soil be treated as 

 it should, and the weight from a given piece of ground will be greater. 

 Large growing kinds are planted here at 3 feet between the rows, and 

 2 feet between the sets, and closer planting we regard as downright 

 waste of garden ground. 



It is a great mistake to pick and sow the smallest Potatoes for seed. 

 It pays far better and gives greater satisfaction in the end to pick the 

 best, and were this generally done change of seed would be much less 



