POTATOES 155 



worked in spring and are harvested as soon as possible for 

 early market. Late varieties are planted late in May or 

 early in June and are left in the ground to full maturity and 

 are then sold or stored for winter. 



Soil. — The best soil for the potato is a rich, sandy loam, 

 well drained and well supplied with vegetable matter. A 

 soil heavier than this may be used if it is improved by green 

 manuring and drainage. The lighter soils should be greatly 

 enriched by the addition of green manures and fertilizers. 

 Potatoes should be alternated or rotated with other crops 

 on the field, not continuously grown on the same land. 



Barnyard manure for potato fields should be well rotted 

 or may be applied to the soil for the preceding crop, such as 

 corn. Commercial fertilizers are commonly applied at the 

 time the potatoes are planted. 



Green Manure. — A green manure to plow under in the 

 early spring may be started in the field of corn or other crop 

 the preceding summer. Sow the seed in July or early August, 

 using a mixture of rye, winter vetch and crimson clover. 

 These plants wall serve as a winter cover crop and when 

 plowed under will quickly decay and form humus. 



Plowing should be done in the spring not long before the 

 potatoes are to be planted. It must be deep and thorough 

 as the potatoes require a loose bed for growth. The newlj^- 

 plowed ground must not be packed with a roller, but should 

 be smoothed with a common harrow. 



Cutting Seed. — The seed pieces are cut in many different 

 ways, with one or two eyes to a piece being the most common. 

 Experiments have shown that in cutting the tubers quarters 

 will give larger crop yields. Before cutting the tubers 

 should be soaked for two hours in a solution of one pint of 

 full strength formalin in thirty-two gallons of water; this 

 is to prevent the scab disease from getting into the soil. 



Planting. — Early potatoes may be planted as early in 

 the spring as the soil can be prepared. Late potatoes should 



