THE FIELD OR IRISH POTATO 165 



and produce larger crops on the same space of 

 ground (Fig. 88). 



Climate and Soil. For the best crop one needs a 

 deep, fertile soil with plenty of moisture, but not too 

 wet. A cool .climate is most suitable. The seed-eyes 

 are planted from two to five inches deep, and the 

 most successful growers do not hill up the plants 

 until late in the season. Moisture is held better if 

 the ground is kept level. 



Cultivating the Crop. A few days after planting 

 a harrow or weeder is run over the field to destroy 

 all weeds as soon as they are started. This weeder 

 is used once a week until the plants are six or eight 

 inches high. Then the fields are cultivated between 

 the rows about every ten days. 



Insect Enemies. One of the first enemies the plant 

 meets after it appears through the surface is the 

 flea beetle that gnaws small holes in the leaves. 

 They may be checked by spraying with the Bor- 

 deaux mixture or with Paris green. This remedy 

 will also stop the ravages of the potato beetle, or 

 Colorado bug (Fig. 89). Potatoes are commonly 

 sprayed about five times, beginning when the plants 

 are about six inches high and repeating the opera- 

 tion every ten days. 



The Potato Scab. Another, enemy of the potato 

 is the scab, which is a very tiny plant growing on 

 the surface of the tuber. Scabby potatoes do not 

 bring good prices. If seed potatoes are given a 

 bath in a solution of formalin for about two hours 



