202 CAMBPELL'S SOIL CULTURE MANUAL 



ground, as for any other crop, then planting with a potato 

 planter about four inches deep. 



As to variety of potatoes it is well known that there 

 are a number of excellent varieties, and one farmer may 

 have a preference for one while another farmer is sure hit 

 kind is the best. But almost any of the standard varietiet 

 will do. In selecting a new variety do not get one thas 

 has not been sufficiently tested. It is well in trying ous 

 new varieties to begin in a small way and work up for seed. 

 The Early Ohio is an old standard variety, but it is not the 

 only good one. For seed we prefer large potatoes, cutting 

 them as near two eyes in a piece as convenient, then plant- 

 ing one piece in a hill. For the more arid portions of the 

 semi-arid belt we would plant the rows about three feet 

 ten inches apart and drop the seed, cut as above, about 

 twenty inches apart. In the lower altitudes, or where 

 there is a greater rainfall, plant somewhat closer. Remem- 

 ber, the one great point is to never let your potato plant 

 lack for water. If you do your crop suffers. Small and 

 knotty potatoes are the result of the potato plant getting 

 short of water at certain times, which tends to force the 

 ripening or maturing period. Then a sudden and heavy 

 rainfall or the irrigation of the potatoes after this condi- 

 tion forces a new and rapid growth which results in setting 

 a second lot of potatoes, some of which may appear on 

 the roots and others on the sides of the already formed 

 potato. 



CULTIVATION 



Care should be taken in cultivation of the potato not 

 to destroy the roots. The potato is prolific of roots, and 

 these reach out into every part of the soil between the 

 rows. Too deep cultivation will destroy many of these 

 roots, especially after the plants have grown to a consid- 



