108 Cultivation of Early Potatoes. 



there would be another interregnum until they were ready for 

 getting up. Three shoolers will keep a pair of horses preparing 

 the land for them. 



In " dropping " weather the hoe must be kept constantly at 

 work. The ground that has been gone over one day must be 

 gone over again the next. You must keep ahead of the weeds, 

 and pace with the growing crop. 



" But why not cultivate them," some one may say, " in 

 the same way as the late varieties ? " We cannot afford to do 

 so ; the land is too valuable. Were the " winter " plan adopted, 

 we should only be able to obtain one-third of the number of 

 rows per acre, and consequently would lose one-third of the value. 



We before mentioned that, in the cultivation of the seed 

 for the following year, all plants showing flower, as well as all 

 others which manifest a diversity of leaf, are carefully eradicated. 

 From the field the seed is taken to the barn, spread on the floor 

 about 1 foot thick, and kept in the dark. Here they are suffered 

 to remain for a month, when, if no disease appears, they are 

 removed, and may be considered safe. At least this is the plan 

 we would recommend, and which has been proved to be most 

 successful ; for we have known potatoes, when brought from the 

 field, to have been just tilted up on the barn-floor, and have 

 observed that in these large heaps symptoms of disease have 

 appeared, whilst none have been detected amongst those which 

 have been spread. We presume it was owing to the sweat not 

 being permitted to escape and dry as readily as when laid in 

 smaller heaps. 



After Christmas is turned the potatoes are brought out of the 

 " hogs," or " graves," or " pits " — all of which are provincial terms 

 for the same mode of covering them with stiaw and earth — and 

 are laid for " sprouting." We cannot refrain here from expressing 

 an opinion that it would be desirable to extend this spiouting to 

 all the late varieties. Amongst lemon-kidneys we never hear of 

 disease, at least amongst those which are got up for the markets 

 in July. Some sliglit traces may be found in August, whilst 

 those lifted in September and October have been much affected ; 

 and the same observation may be made with respect to red eyes, 

 — the crop taken up in August has been found and kept sound, 

 whilst in those taken up later there has been considerable loss. 

 We are, therefore, induced to think that, if the winter varieties 

 were set well sprouted, they would run much less risk and a 

 great saving of food be effected. We have no business to take 

 up lemon-kidneys in September and October, but the cottagers 

 will risk it, and they set for seed after they have got up and sold 

 their first crops. They calculate that they shall lose one half by 

 disease, and, if they only preserve the remaining half, they obtain 



