SYSTEMS OF PLANTING. 7J 



drawn by a double-breasted plough, an alternate ridge and 

 furrow being formed. Manure is then placed along the 

 bottom of the furrows, the potatoes planted on top, and 

 the ridges afterwards split by the plough, in order to 

 cover the " sets." As remarked elsewhere we do not be- 

 lieve in the practice of placing manure in the furrows; it 

 is better to apply it in autumn or winter. As regards the 

 depth of the drills in field culture, it is pretty generally 

 agreed that it is unwise to go deeper than three inches on 

 the heavier soils and four inches on the lighter ones. 

 For this shallow planting the soil must be in good tilth, 

 otherwise the M sets " will not grow satisfactorily. The 

 nearer the young shoots and roots are to the sunshine and 

 air, the better w T ill growth and yield be. 



The Flat System. In this case, the land is manured 

 and got into good tilth beforehand. The position of the 

 rows is indicated by means of a line, or by means of a 

 shallow furrow marked out by a marking or setting-out 

 machine. The workman then, by means of a spade or 

 dibber, makes the holes three to four inches deep, and is 

 followed by another person who drops in the " sets," and 

 yet another who covers them with soil. This is not a 

 commendable plan to follow when choice and sprouted 

 tubers have to be planted, as there is always a risk of the 

 sprouts being broken off. A modification of this plan is 

 for a workman to take out a shallow spitful of soil at the 

 required distances in the rows, another person dropping 

 a " set " into each hole. When the end of the row is 

 reached, the workman works back on a second row, and 

 each spadeful of soil taken out is thrown by him into a 

 hole in the previous row, containing a " set." He thus 

 forms holes in one row, and covers in the " sets " in the 

 preceding one as he works along the field. This is really 

 a much better and more expeditious way than dibbling in 

 the " sets." 



Lazy bed System This system is followed in many 



