260 VEGETABLE GARDEN ING 



sets should be planted about four inches deep, at sixteen 

 inch intervals, in rows three feet apart. This work may 

 be done by furrowing out with the plow or horse hoe, plant- 

 ing by hand, and covering the sets with the plow; though 

 when planted on a large scale the work is generally done by 

 a potato planter. There are several excellent potato 

 planters on the market. 



Some good growers prefer to plant the sets in check 

 rows three feet apart each way when the land is weedy, 

 but so much space between the plants is not generally 

 profitable, since under ordinary circumstances thorough 

 harrowing when the crop is young will destroy all weeds. 

 If the sets are planted four inches deep, very little hilling 

 up is required; if planted much deeper the digging is quite 

 difficult; if planted nearer the surface, the tubers are liable 

 to push out of the ground and require to be hilled up, 

 which is not desirable. 



The land should be harrowed or thoroughly cultivated 

 with a Breed's weeder as soon as the smallest weeds can 

 be seen or a crust forms on the land after planting. It 

 is entirely practicable to harrow potatoes at least three 

 times, the first time just before the plants show, the second 

 when they are just above ground, and the third when the 

 plants are three or four inches high. Little if any harm 

 will be done the plants by this work, providing a slanting 

 tooth harrow is used. Such treatment will do more to 

 remove weeds than a good hand hoeing, and the expense 

 of the operation is almost nothing. If the work is properly 

 done, there is seldom any need of hand work with this 

 crop. 



Subsequent cultivation should consist in keeping the 

 soil loose between the rows, and a little earth should be 

 throvrn against the plants. For this purpose a good horse- 



