SOILS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



33 



RIDGING SOIL : THE FINISHED WORK. 



ing the winter. It is especially necessary to plough in 

 autumn in the case of heavy soils. In rainy districts, like 

 those of Scotland, ploughing is best done in early spring 

 March; then the surface quickly dries, and is more 

 easily worked into a fine tilth. Light soils generally may 

 also be best ploughed over in March. Equally important is 

 it to see that the land is well drained. A water-logged 

 soil is sure to promote the development of disease, and, 

 at the same time, prevent the proper maturation of the 

 tubers. Soils, therefore, that are very heavy and low- 

 lying, are best eschewed for potato culture. In the spring 

 take advantage of fine weather to get the land into fine 

 tilth before planting. There is a great deal more in the 

 proper preparation of the soil for successful potato growing 

 than most growers are aware of. Those who defer the 

 ploughing till late in winter, or omit to see that there is 

 a good and deep tilth, and then endeavour to make up for 

 these shortcomings by the liberal use of manures in spring, 

 are simply throwing their money away. A little artificial 

 manure will yield far better results on a well-tilled r.oil 

 than a larger quantity applied to an ill-tilled one. 



Broken. up Pasture Land. Old pastures that arc 

 to be converted into arable land form an excellent soil in 

 which to grow potatoes. Apart from the fact that the 

 potatoes will do well on such a soil, the cultivation needful 

 for the crop will put the soil in good heart for other crops. 

 It must, however, be borne in mind that pasture land is 

 liable to be very badly infested with wireworms and 



