Potato Culture. 



kept for spring market without loss by 

 rot. 



Whether the surprising effects of 

 plaster on the potato mildew is attri- 

 butable to the sulphuric acid, to the 

 lime, or to its simply being a dust, has 

 not been determined. It is well 

 known that the fruits of a vineyard or 

 orchard in close proximity to a dusty 

 and much frequented highway are 

 remarkably free from mildew, which 

 can only be due to dust settling on the 

 trees and fruit. But in the case of 

 plaster, the writer is inclined to believe 

 its efficacy is mainly due to the sul- 

 phuric acid, probably assisted by the 

 lime in a state of dust. Be this as it 

 may, it matters not. The result is all 

 that can be desired; the remedy is 

 easily applied, costs but a trifle, and a 

 single season's trial is all that is need- 

 ed to convince the most skeptical 

 grower of its merits. 



DIGGING AND STORING 



Is full half the labor of growing and 

 securing a crop of potatoes. Digging 

 is a long, laborious task. Many small 

 fortunes are sunk yearly by inventors 

 in experimenting with and construct- 

 ing "potato- diggers;" but, so far, no 

 machine has done the work properly 

 except under the most favorable cir- 

 cumstances. Stones, vines, and weeds 

 are obstacles not yet fully overcome. 

 Many tubers are left covered with 

 earth, and so lost ; and besides, some 

 machines so bruise the potatoes in 

 digging as to injure their appearance 

 and keeping qualities. Undoubtedly, 

 the day will come when the great 

 bulk of potatoes will be dug well and 

 rapidly by horse-power ; but until 

 that day does come, the potato-hook 

 must be used. 



Much of the back-ache and general 

 unpleasantness incident to digging is 

 avoided, or greatly mitigated, by hav- 

 ing the potatoes large and sound, 

 turning out a peck to the hill, espe- 



cially if the digger is the owner of the 

 crop. 



Digging should be done only when 

 the ground is dry, that the potatoes 

 may come out clean and bright. A 

 small plow, to turn a light furrow from 

 each side of the rows, is some help. 

 Pull up the vines, and lay 'them down 

 so that they will be covered by the 

 dirt dug from the hill. Commence 

 on one side of the hiil ; press the hook 

 or hoe down, so that it will reach a 

 trifle below the potatoes, and draw 

 the implement firmly toward you. 

 Repeat the operation, each time 

 placing the tool a few inches further 

 in or across the hill, until the whole 

 hill is dug. By this method the pota- 

 toes will not be bruised ; whereas, if 

 the digging be commenced in the 

 centre of the' hill, many potatoes will 

 be sacrificed and much injured. Po- 

 tatoes should be picked up as soon 

 and as fast as dug ; and immediately 

 covered with straw or other material, 

 to protect them from the light. A 

 few hours' strong sunshine will ruin 

 the best potato ever grown. Light 

 changes the natural color to green, 

 and renders the potato so bitter and 

 unpalatable as to be wholly unfit to 

 eat. 



Owing to the inconsiderate way in 

 which potatoes are often dug, and the 

 light to which they are exposed while 

 being transported to and while in 

 market, the denizens of our cities sel- 

 dom, if ever, taste this vegetable in its 

 greatest excellence. If to be stored 

 in the cellar, the potatoes should be 

 left in the field, in heaps covered with 

 straw, until the sweating is over, and 

 then be removed to the cellar and 

 lightly covered with dry sand, or 

 earth, just sufficient to exclude the 

 light. 



If to oe buried in the field, choose 

 a dry, sideling place; scrape out a 

 slight hollow, by merely removing the 

 surface soil with a hoe ; into this, pile 



