THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



dry sand in shallow boxes or in trays with slat bottoms. 

 To save space the trays may be set in a rack, with 

 circulation of air between them. Expose to the light 

 (but not the sun) in a room of fairly uniform tempera- 

 ture at from 60 to 75, six to eight weeks before the 

 time for setting out. When the Potatoes are ready to 

 set out they may be held back, for as much as a fort- 

 night if weather conditions are poor, by controlling 

 the temperature; at the right time they may be set 

 out, and will give marketable results a week to a month 

 before the ordinary crop, while the yield is likely to be 

 larger. An advantage of this method is that the seed 

 Potatoes need be no larger than hen's eggs. 



By still another method the Potatoes, cut in half 

 lengthwise, or to ordinary seed -pieces, may be set 

 closely in a coldframe and covered with four inches of 

 light earth. Give enough air to prevent condensation 

 of moisture on the glass, and in a late season keep the 

 frame cool so that the Potatoes will not come on too 

 fast. Started about two months before they are wanted, 

 (or late in March) in an ordinary season the sprouts 

 will just be showing above ground at the right time. 

 They are then set carefully in the field, and will give 

 an early yield. (See Rhode Island Bulletin No. 36.) 

 Similar treatment in a hotbed will bring them on more 

 quickly. For very small operations, Potatoes may be 

 started in pots under glass. 



Distances. Rows apart, for hand culture, twenty- 



