CtTLTtTRE OF POTATOES. 91 



the hill. But for a moist and weak soil, the seed potato may be 

 cut, and thereby the crop increased from the same weight of 

 seed ; for on such a soil tiie moisture furnished trora the whole 

 potato is not wanted ; and as the nutritive qualities in such a 

 soil are more scattered, the roots ot the plant will be more 

 likely to come in contact with it, and derive nourishment from 

 it, than if placed only in one particular point in the hill. For 

 this reason too, it would seem to be more profitable to plant 

 small potatoes in a moist soil than in a dry one. 



The Irish, who perhaps raise and use more potatoes than any- 

 other people, it is said, generally cut their potatoes, and set 

 them about ten inches apart The practice, however, might 

 have originated from tlie necessity of using a part of the pota- 

 to for food. Circumstances may render that a sufficient rea- 

 son here also. 



Potatoes should be hoed when first up, just to clean out the 

 weeds, with but little hilling, and when they are about seven 

 inches high, should be hilled up for the last time. The hilling 

 them up by a third hoeing may be rather injurious than other- 

 wise. If weeds spring up so as to render a third hoeing necessa- 

 ry, they had better be pulled from the hill and cut up round it 

 with the hoe, without enlarging the hill. It is an error to suppose, 

 that it increases the crop of potatoes by enlarging the hill, in 

 any instance where sufficient manure is deposited in or near 

 the hill. By reference to the principles of vegetation, it will 

 be found, that if the influence of light and atmospheric air are 

 too far removed from the root by too deep burying, the less 

 vigorous the plant and root. It is said that potatoes may be rais- 

 ed by covering them over with straw, when only laid on a clean 

 sward, to the depth of about eight inches ; and that in this con- 

 dition tney have been found to grow nearly as large as if buri- 

 ed in the ground, and to be drier and better flavored. 



To get the greatest product of potatoes from a given quantity 

 of ground, ihe most approved practice appears to be that of 

 planting in rows, instead of hills. The following method has 

 been extensively practised with success. After the ground is 

 suitably prepared, to run very liaht furrows at the distance of 

 about three, or three and a half ^et apart : to drop the potatoes 

 along the furrows at the distance of about eighteen inches 

 apart, and to cover them with a light furrow run along on one 

 side, or with the hoe ; when the plants have grown to the 

 height of six or eififht inches, run the plough along on each 

 side of the rows as close as possible without injuring the plants, ' 

 turning the furrow from them, then immediately turn the fur- 

 row back 10 them,andtlius the soil becomes sufficiently meUowed 



