06 THE FARMER'S MANUAL. 



This result corresponds with my own experience 

 for many years, and deserves attention, by its saving 

 in the expense of seed. If 4 sets were placed in the 

 hill, at the distance of 5 or 6 inches asunder, and the 

 hills 3 feet apart, they would probably produce as 

 many pounds of potatoes, with a handsome saving 

 of expense at digging. Some farmers cart on 10, 

 15. or 20 loads of long dung, and spread it on the 

 field, and ridge it in, by lapping two furrows together, 

 and plant their potatoes on the ridges in hills, from 

 2 to 3 feet asunder ; hoe the potatoes twice, upon the 

 ridges, and keep the ground clean with the plough, 

 between the ridges, in the furrows ; others plough 

 up the land smooth, and strike out the ground into 

 furrows of 3 feet asunder, set the potatoes (when cut 

 into one or two eye sets) at 10 or 12 inches distance, 

 in each furrow; cover them lightly with the plough, 

 and keep the land clean by ploughing up to the rows 

 two or three times, as the season may require. In 

 autumn, they turn off the earth from the rows with 

 the plough, and dig with the hoe, this answers well ; 

 but I have found an increase of labour in digging. 

 Some farmers plough up their land smooth, and strike 

 it out with a plough into squares of 3 feet, rank and 

 file, after the manner of planting Indian-corn, and 

 plant at the corners, and cover with the hoe ; others 

 make holes with the hoe, from two to three feet dis- 

 tance, manure with farm-yard, or hog manure, or roll 

 the potatoes (when cut and wet,) in plaster of Paris, 

 or throw into the hill with the sets, about a table 

 spoonful of plaster; this upon a gravelly, or sandy 

 soil, answers well. I have found this mode produce 

 from 1 to 300 bushels the acre. Should you neg- 

 lect either of these modes of manuring at your plant- 

 ing, you, -may dress your potatoes with a table spoon- 

 ful of plaster, or a handful of live, or leached ashes, 

 at the first, or second hoeing, with great advantage, 

 upon a dry soil. These are the common modes of 

 cultivating the potatoe. 



